When the Rules Changed
by Rachelle31
Summary: In this version, Cato and Glimmer won the Games without any repurcusions. I played it off the scene in the movie where she's sleeping on his arm in the woods. I don't own the Hunger Games.
1. Chapter 1

Cato Point of View

I was just beginning to fall asleep. The train made a white-noise sound, enough to hum you to sleep, and the book I had been reading lay on the table next to me. My head was on the pillow, my body wrapped in soft, warm sheets. Could this get better? I grinned to myself slightly. I was the victor of the Hunger Games, my district was thrilled. Besides the fact that they had changed the rules and Glimmer had also one, she wasn't that bad of a person to win with. The Gamemaker had smiled broadly with President Snow, happy to have the two best people alive.

Now we were on a train to begin our tour, first in Glimmers District, 1, and go through all of them before going home. There was a rumour going around that since two people won, they would bring us to the Capitol to live instead of the Victor's Village; probably because the place was getting so full in both of our Districts. They were building more for us, but they weren't ready yet.

As I slipped farther into sleep, I heard a hard knock on the wall. It was the wall I shared with Glimmer's bedroom. Why had she hit my wall, had something happened? I got out of the bed, still a little groggy, and went into the hall, opening her door and turning the lamps on dim so I could see through the blackness. Glimmer was in bed, clearly asleep, but it looked like she was having a nightmare. She had had a few during the Games, but not one like this. She was thrashing around, her bedcovers twisted through her legs, her face contorted in pain from her dream. She kept on calling out for someone to stop, and she was getting frantic.

I went over to her, sitting on the bed and trying to shake her awake. But she wouldn't wake up. I took her arm and moved it enough that hopefully she would stop thrashing. I was right.

Her eyes popped open, filled with tears as sweat ran down her face and neck. Her body stopped moving, but she looked at me, her face filled with...fear. Was she afraid of me? I quirked my head at her.

"Are you okay Glimmer?" I still had my hand on her arm, and she didn't answer me, just rolled over with a sob so I could only see her back.

"What's wrong?" I put my hand on her back, trying to comfort her. She was a victor. Why was she crying? As I began to rub her back gently, trying to coax her into talking, I heard a tear filled voice that didn't sound anything like the champion I knew.

"Stop touching me." It was soft, scared, nothing like Glimmer. But I removed my hand, still sitting on the edge of her. She didn't turn over, didn't speak again. I was worried. We would be at her District in two days, she couldn't appear like this. Hadn't she volunteered, wanted to be like this?

"Glimmer, stop crying, everything's fine. Are you homesick? We'll be at your home in just a couple of days, its fine." I put my hand back on her shoulder, "Just tell me what's wrong."

But she jerked away from my touch, and I stood up and walked out of the door. I was trying to help, but if she didn't want it, fine.

Glimmer Point of View

As he slammed the door, I continued to sob, only harder. He didn't understand, he would never understand. I didn't tell him, I couldn't tell him. It was partially his fault anyway. I turned form my side on to my back, tears still running down my face. What was wrong with me, why couldn't I deal with this? It was nothing, just something that had happened in the Games, like everything else. Where had the strong, beautiful, daring me that had volunteered first? My hand had shot up right before my classmates, and I had joyfully walked on stage, smirking at them. Most was smaller than me was anyway.

But now, I wished she had gotten her hand up first after what happened. I had never heard about something like this happening in the Games before. But perhaps those female victors had been like me- unwilling to tell of the untold horrors of the arena.

I sighed and tried to go back to sleep, but my heart was hammering too hard. I could see the glimpses of dawn on the horizon, so I got up anyway.

A hot shower calmed my heart, and I ordered breakfast in my room. People had already made the bed and cleaned up the clothes I had thrown on the floor last night. The Capitol is always so efficient, and I'm happy about that. Cato knocked on my door soon after I was done eating. I looked up at him from my book. He slowly closed the door behind him and stood there, waiting for me to say something.

"Hi," is all I said, closing my book and standing. He came closer, his eyes on the ground as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. Finally though, after several minutes pause, his hazel eyes met mine, and he asked.

"What were you dreaming about last night?" His eyes are clearly confused, wondering, and I sit on the bed with a huff. He cautiously sits down next to me, putting an arm around my shoulders. As soon as those words were out of his mouth, I put my head down, unwilling to talk about it.

"Please Glimmer. I know this isn't the you that slept next to me in the woods, this isn't the you that I helped wash her cut and dove in the water with to survive the Tracker Jackers. Something's wrong, something's changed, and I want to find out what."

But I shake my head, shrugged his arm off my shoulders. If I ever told him, which I never will, I can't tell him like this, with sunlight streaming through the windows in an elegant room. I'd have to whisper it to him at night, when everything is cloaked in blackness and it's easier to remember, to talk about it. But at night is when those horrid nightmares come, and his body beside mine might fade into him beside me, and that would just create new problems.

But he kept his arm around my shoulder, and I resisted the urge to cry to him. Maybe, if he came back tonight, I would tell him a little something, enough so he would understand my tears. But only when it was dark and no one would hear. People could be walking by my door right now, and they didn't need to know anything.

"Another time Cato, not now," I choked over the growing lump in my throat. He sighed and got up, but turned back to see me as he neared the door.

"Glimmer, I understand if you don't want to talk about. Maybe this is just another way that the Games changed you. But if you're scared of something, if anything really awful happened that didn't happen to me, that I don't know about, you should tell someone. Some say talking about things can help. And I'm only trying to help, fellow Victor."

He smiled at me as he left. I guess when 12 almost killed him; it made him more grateful for life, and maybe a little more kind. Maybe that's the way the Games changed him.


	2. Chapter 2

Cato Point of View

I left her room, although I wanted to stay and pull those secrets out of her. People came back from these things changed, everyone knew that, but she seemed too different. I went through another day on the train- amazing food, wonderful entertainment through gaming devices and books. Glimmer surfaced only rarely and briefly, coming out to eat or get a new book. I offered to practice sparing with her, thinking that maybe that would turn her back into the real her, but she just shook her head.

So my day was passed peacefully, and I enjoyed it. This was the life, with relaxation and good food every day. As a victor, I was entitled to this type of treatment, and I was going to enjoy it.

To further enjoy my victory, I watched and rewatched every death at my hands from the Games. I grinned in triumph each time, thrilled that I had been so powerful. There were some shots with Glimmer and the others, and I watched those too. They were interesting, knowing what was going to happen to them, yet in that moment, they didn't know. I watched what some had called a 'sweet moment' between Glimmer and I. It was the time when I had accidently cut her with my sword, and at the lake had had to jump under the water to save ourselves from the Tracker Jackers. When we had surfaced, I didn't realize she couldn't hold her breathe as long as she had been forced to, and I had to help her to shore. My hand had been on her waist when she was done coughing, and I had been trying to help her turn over, to make sure she was okay.

Looking back, I guess it was kind of sweet, but it was only because I wanted to make sure she was alright. It was what partners did for each other. But some had thought we had played the 'young lovers' card, which was defiantly not the case. Sure, she was pretty, and hot, and even out in the woods, she always smelled good. And maybe I liked to hold her around the waist at night and pull her close, because I like to protect people. Especially girls, whether they think they need protecting or not.

Wait, maybe I did kinda like her. But not a lot, just a little, like a crush. I cared about her a bit, but that was all. We had kept each other alive in the arena, and that meant something, but we were out now, both of us different, both of us changed, her more so than me. And it didn't really matter, because she obviously didn't want to tell me anything.

Glimmer Point of View

I was excepting him to come that night. I sat on the bed in my nightclothes, waiting for him and hoping against hope that he would come. Tonight, if he came, I would tell him. Maybe not everything, but enough, enough so he would understand and not think of me as weak. The room was dim when he opened the door and came in without knocking. Had I not gotten ready earlier, he would have found me changing, and I'm grateful he didn't.

He slowly came closer to me and sat down on the bed, simply looking at me. I lowered my head, contemplating what to tell him. As I thought, I began to unwind my hair from the plates that I kept it in on the two sides of my face. Gently, I felt his hands replace mine, pulling his fingers through my hair. I closed my eyes, relaxing into his touch, almost forgetting. But then I felt his hand go to my waist, and my eyes popped open as I scooted away from him.

"Glimmer please, I'm trying to help. Do you want me to leave or stay?" It was nice that he actually seemed to care, to ask. But I just lay down, and he turned to look at me, starting to get up. I grabbed his hand, and my eyes begged.

"Don't leave; it's alright if you stay." So he took off his boots and lay down next to me, making my heart pound. He put his arm around my head so instead of my pillow, I was laying on his bicep. He held me close, and it scared and comforted me at the same time.

I told the lights to dim, and the blackness surrounded us. The feel of his body so near mine scared me, and I moved so that he was lying on his back and I was looking down at him.

His features were illuminated in the moonlight, and he looked handsome. But we were suddenly plunged through a deep forest, and the darkness got even blacker. His face was shrouded, and he was cloaked in darkness. Darkness, him, dark. The pain, the blood, his fists, him...

I shot up, trying to push him away suddenly. He took my hands in his larger ones, but I kept on trying to move away from him. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close to him, which only made me panic more.

"Stop, stop! Please, Thresh it hurts, stop!" I wrenched myself out of his grasp in the terror that had taken over my mind. Though the pain wasn't present, it was like I was trapped in the past, in my memories.

Finally, he let go as I said his name, and he sat back, looking at me as I dove under the covers, tears running down my face.

He pushed some of the hair back from my eyes, gently rubbing the tears away with his thumb. I put my head on his chest and began to cry as moonlight surrounded us once more.

"Glimmer, shh, it's okay, you're okay. Now tell me, what did Thresh do? I found him beating you to death, and I stopped him and killed him, remember, were you thinking of that?"

I gripped his shirt in my hands, tears wetting it. I shook my head, trying to swallow and lift my head so I could look at him.

"No, it wasn't that. Before he beat me...he...he came into the shelter and said I would pay for Rue's death. And he was bigger than me, stronger. I tried to push him away but he tied my hands and had his knees pressing into my legs. And he... he forced...he made me..." I gulped and cried again, his arms around me, rubbing my back, trying to sooth me.

"What did he force you to do? Tell me." He voice wasn't demanding, it was concerned, worried for me.

"He...he pulled my pants down and he...he made me... And it hurt, it hurt so much, and there was so much blood because he just kept on doing it harder. And...it was my first time and that made it hurt even worse, and I was screaming, but you didn't come in time, you came when he was done and had started...beating me to death."

The tears were rushing in rivers down my cheeks, and I put my head on his shoulder, crying as he rubbed my back. I had become a tragic heroine, and it wasn't as amazing as the books had made it out to be.

"Thresh raped you?" His voice was full of shock, a hint of sadness for me, and you could tell he was happy about killing the boy.

But I only nodded into him, and he held me closer, petting my hair and rubbing my back to try to soothe me. I swallowed and looked up at him, moving once more so I was sitting slightly.

"I didn't want to tell you...but I thought I sort of had to. You're not mad at me, are you?" I shook a little, hoping and praying that he wouldn't fly off the handle.

But he wrapped me in his arms once more and pulled me close.

"How could I be mad at you? It was his fault, not yours."

We stayed that way all night. I slept lightly, and if I woke up, I looked at his face; grateful and somewhat relieved that my burden wasn't just mine anymore. He had willingly taken some of it for me.

Cato Point of View

I left the next morning before she was awake. My mind was spinning with this new piece of knowledge. I had known Thresh was cruel- if he wanted revenge, why didn't he just kill her immediately not do...that.

I found Glimmers mentor up as early as I was. Should I tell him? I should, shouldn't I? She was in his charge, he would want to know.

"Wynn, I think you might want to know something that happened to Glimmer in the arena."

He leaned forward with interest, and I checked to make sure no one was listening before whispering the story. His eyes grew wide once I was done, and he covered his mouth in shock. He clapped his hand on my shoulder as we both stood up.

"Thank you for telling me that, Cato. I should know about something like this. I'll alert the Gamemaker and the Capitol immediately."

He turned to go, but I put my hand on his arm. This wasn't something that should get around, especially as gossip. Glimmer obviously didn't want anyone to know what had happened to her.

"I don't know if you should tell them, I could tell she didn't want people to know."

He shook his head before assuring me it would be fine and left before I could protest more. I shook my head as he moved away, hoping that nothing bad would come of it, and that Glimmer wouldn't think that I had betrayed her trust. I had only been trying to help.

I heard a loud pitched scream come from her room about two hours later, and I ran towards it. Perhaps she was furious with me, but we didn't need her harming herself or anyone else over my betrayal. I found Wynn had very quickly backed out of the door, and though he tried to dissuade me from going in, I knew I had to.

She was sitting on her bead, still in her nightclothes, shaking and crying. When she heard the door open, she lept up and glared at me.

"How could you? I told you that in secret, and now I have to go back to the Capitol, and they have to test me for whatever reason. Who knows what they're going to do to me there!"

She had hurled herself at me, and tried to pound on my chest with her fists. Though soon she was crying once more, and I held her to my chest as her knees almost collapsed under her. Gently, I picked her up and held her close, trying to keep her on her feet.

But she pushed me away and walked back to her bed, sitting down and hugging her pillow. Poor thing, she was so hurt. And I felt guilty, but I knew I had done what was best for her. So I left, closing the door behind me gently. Then I shuddered. Who knows what the Capitol would do to her.


	3. Chapter 3

_Glimmer Point of View_

Our train, that had been going back home, was now reversed and heading back to the Capitol. Word had been sent that there were a few complications with things that hadn't been sorted out, so they were sending us both back. It was Cato's fault that this had all happened, so at least they were taking us both back. They couldn't look like they had lost control of their Games, so they were trying to save face.

But I was scared. Never before had I been such a nervous wreck; before the Games I would never have been caught crying at all, let alone this much. But this had changed me so much, I felt scarred, like everything would come crashing down on me at any point, and I was afraid of every man that was in the same room with me.

I was ashamed of whom I had become, but I also knew that after what had happened, there was nothing else I could really do. I could try to fake it, like I had tried right after I won. When Caesar had interviewed Cato and me, I had tried to keep the fear at bay, convincing myself that this warm, humorous person would never hurt me. And I knew he wouldn't. But I could barely sit near him and keep my voice even, and had rushed offstage at the end, saying I had to go to the bathroom to calm my nerves, which took more than 15 minutes and had made Wynn very unhappy with me. That too, had scared me, seeing him angrey. After that, I knew I wasn't in control of my own fear, and that nothing I told myself would help that much.

We arrived in the Capitol a few days later. Cato came to wake me up, gently shaking me. I had opened my eyes, calmed a little by the fact that he had so kindly wakened me up with a smile on his face. It made me think that maybe he was sorry for what he had done, that he hadn't meant harm. I knew he hadn't, but I was still very frightened of what the doctors in the Capitol might do.

Once in the room, I had a right to be scared. It was bright and circular, making my eyes hurt before they got adjusted. They had drug Cato with me, "just in case something happened", they said. That only made me more afraid, but I sat on the table in a cloth pink gown, waiting. A man called Cato out of the room, and he came in shortly afterward, looking slightly confused.

"They said they have gynecologist coming to see you in just a few minutes, and that he's the best they have. I've got no idea what that is, but they just told me to tell you."

I needed a gynecologist? That would mean... No, I would _not_ be spreading my legs for a man to check whatever it was they were checking. I was _fine._ Unfortunately, they didn't seem to think that.

But he came in the room, glancing up at us. He didn't smile, but he didn't exactly frown either. He pointed at Cato with his pen.

"Are you supposed to be in here young man? This is something that should be privy for the girl and me."

Cato looked at him sharply, taking a step towards me. His eyes were protective as they looked at the man.

"Yes, I'm supposed to be here. Go about your business, I won't interfere."

He sighed and came closer, still not smiling as he glanced at the information, reading my name and why I was here.

"Ah, yes, Glimmer. I'll need you to part your legs a little bit so I can have a peek at what might be going on."

He had on gloves and what looked like a vial for taking blood. I shook my head at him. No, no, I would not be letting this stranger do anything with me. He sighed, but looked like he had some patience stored up. Maybe that's why they had sent him. He looked at me once more, not introducing himself or making any attempt to comfort me or even smile.

"It won't take long, I promise, and it won't hurt either. Just a little blood for this," he held up a syringe that looked much like what had injected our trackers during the Games. "Then it will be over and all will be well. Come now, just part them a little."

Again I shook my head, and Cato rested a hand on my shoulder. "Do what he asks; it'll be better once it's over. Drawing it out like this will only make things worse."

His words did nothing to convince me, and I stayed stubbornly sitting up, legs firmly together. The doctor turned away for a moment, listening to something in his earpiece. I was hoping he'd rush out of the room, give me some more time, but it only made him agitated and impatient.

"Glimmer, I have a patient who needs me right now, quite desperately, so whether you want to or not, I will be taking blood."

He put his hand on my thigh and pushed my legs apart. The older man was stronger than he looked. I felt him trying to inject and get blood, but I started to shift, trying to close my legs and get this disgusting man far, _far_ away from me. But that only made it more difficult, and he pricked me twice, before finally sticking it not into me, but _up_ into me. I shrieked at this intrusion, my back falling onto the table, but he simply walked out of the door and closed it tight behind him after filling that horrid syringe.

Cato was instantly at my side, rubbing my arm and sitting down next to me. He seemed just as surprised about what had happened to me as I was.

"_That's_ what gynecologist's do, stick needle where they shouldn't be? Did he hurt you, are you alright?"

Though he was slightly embarrassed by finding out something that no boy his age should know, he was still concerned about me. I wasn't crying, but I was sniffling a little bit. I was staring up at the too-white, almost glowing ceiling. Cato still looked down at me, checking to see if I was okay with his eyes. I just nodded.

His hand went to my thigh, rubbing it, and I popped my newly-shut eyes open. What was he doing, hitting on me? Looking down, I could see he was only trying to comfort me, but I pushed his hand away. I didn't want anyone touching me like that, not even someone I trusted like him.

We were back on the train when the tests came back a few hours later, declaring everything fine. The doctor said there had been slight scarring, but that should heal within a few days with the pills they gave me.

It was night, and I was pulling my night clothes on. It was a cute, soft cotton dress, light pink. I didn't like it that much anymore; it looked like a tailored version of the hospital gown. I had taken off my regular clothes and was about to slip it over my head when Cato came through the door, once again without knocking. I was almost naked, and I didn't like it. His eyes were wide, staring at me, and I was a deer caught in the headlights, staring at something that shouldn't be there. He quickly turned around, letting me get decent. But he saw me, _saw_ me. I never wanted anyone to see me like that unless I wanted them to.

When he heard me lay down on the bed, he came and sat by me. I was still blushing, and he looked a little embarrassed too. But he laid back and held me, and I curled into him. He was warm, and even though the bed was comfortable, I liked him better. Slowly, he began rubbing my back and talking to me in a low voice.

"I'm so sorry about what happened earlier today, Glimmer. I never would have told anyone if I knew what the repercussions on you would be."

I looked up at him and smiled a little. "It's okay, you didn't know." Then I frowned, putting my head on his shoulder. "But it did hurt, and it scared me, it scared me a lot." I had trailed off to a whisper, and he held me close and kissed my hair. I fell asleep like I hadn't in a while- soothed, calm, and protected. _Cato Point of View_

It felt like forever before we got to District 1. Glimmer had told me that she wanted me to meet her family, and that they would want to meet the other victor. I was okay with, although I thought it was odd. But since we were both alive, and one of us at least was well, I couldn't see the harm.

So after we waved to the crowd and gave a speech, we headed to her house. It turned out that her father had been a victor in his days, so they lived in the Victors Village. Theirs was just as crammed as ours, no wonder they were considering moving us to the Capitol. She had a younger brother named Jarius, and her parents were Aeliyatt and Cassius. Their names seemed somewhat odd compared to those in District 3, but I was kind toward them. I ate dinner at their house and went on a walk with her father. _That_ got interesting.

"It was very nice to meet you, Cato. You're a fine young man to win with."

I nodded in thanks. "Thank you sir, I did my best and so did Glimmer." I was wondering where this was going, but decided to roll with it. I had never met a victor from another District like this before.

"Yes, she's a fine girl. Her brother will be of age for the Games next year, and he can't wait." He paused at the end of the road where the village began, and I stopped to. He looked at me then. "I want to know your intention with my daughter."

My eyes went wide and my mouth almost gaped. What was he saying? "Intention? Um...I intend to be her friend, and go on a tour with her, maybe do the Quarter Quell with her next year, if we both get to do that..."

He stared me straight in the eye. "You are a man, Cato, and all men have eyes. Almost every man in this District has their eyes on my Glimmer. But I only approve of you." He set his hand on my shoulder, and I gulped loudly.

"I have no intention of looking at your daughter like...that. We're friends, victors, nothing more."

He shook his head at me as a sly smile crept across his face. "She told me how sweet you were to her when she had nightmares about the Games. No boy is that sweet unless he has a motive. I know your motive, and she does to. By all means, my wife and I are okay with it. We know you're going to live in the Capitol, and if you chose to get into a relationship, we'll be happy for you." His smile faded as he said his last line. "But don't break my baby girl's heart. That will have serious consequences."

I nodded, and we walked back to the house. Glimmer smiled at me, really smiled, and I hadn't seen her like that in a long time. She seemed to fit in here, with her family. They had a dog named Lyric that ran around the kitchen, and her mother was putting extra food away while Glimmer sat on the counter. I smiled back at her, happy to see her happy. Maybe I had more of an "intention" with her than I realized.

But I certainly did like her family. She had blonde hair like her mother, and her brother had brown hair like her father. The house was two stories tall and light brick, modern on the inside, with four bedrooms. Glimmer's parents said I was welcome to stay over anytime if I was in the neighborhood, that they had a guest bedroom for a reason. I grinned and said I would.

The evening was over, and we had to head back to the train to go to the next District on our tour. Wynn and my mentor, Pertina, are walking back with us, but they're not really paying attention, so Glimmer and I can talk ourselves.

"I really enjoyed meeting your family. They're nice, quiet welcoming. You seemed so happy there."

She smiled and nodded, and her eyes got that glaze that said she was remembering. Whether they were memories from the deep past or simply looking back on tonight, I couldn't tell. But she was thinking nonetheless. We were almost at the train, and I put my hand on her back to help her up. I expected her to push it away and shake her head slightly, still nervous about anyone touching her. But she let me held her up, and I took it as a small sign of healing. We both smiled at each other as went into our separate rooms. I wouldn't go to her tonight; I didn't think she needed it. And it would be weird, having just met her family, to sleep in the same bed as her.

It was dark, and my hand held my head on the pillow, my arm bent above my head. Flexing my muscles always made me seem powerful; this was always a good thing in my book. When I heard a soft creak come from my door, and looked up to find Glimmer coming through it. She had quickly discarded her old pink nightclothes, saying it reminded her too much of the robe at the hospital. So now she was in gray shorts and a shirt that only came down to right below her breasts and stopped. It looked like the sport's bra's the girls back home at the training center wore. Perhaps it was.

But Glimmer just stood in the doorway, not coming any closer, her hair still done up in the style it had been since the Games. I smiled and sat up, beckoning for her to join me on the bed. She smiled and sat by me, leaning her head against my shoulder as I ran my fingers through her hair, gently letting lose.

"My family really likes you, you know. They all do." I could feel her breathe on my shirt as I lay down with her. She momentarily stiffened, but relaxed into me again when I began rubbing her back. For how tough she was during training and the Games, she really was a lot softer, sweeter.

I laughed a little at her words. "Oh, I know they do. Your dad told me that if you and I ever got into a relationship, they would fully support it. I've never met a father who actually approved of a tough-looking guy like me."

She lifted her head for a moment and smiled at me. Whenever she gave me that specific smile, the sweet one that looked like pure happiness, I couldn't help but smile back.

"I don't think you're that tough-looking." And then her smile faded a little with her next words. "And you let me live. What father wouldn't approve of a guy like that?"

I nodded silently, still rubbing her back, surprised when she settled into my shoulder, putting her hand on my chest and getting comfortable. Even those nights I had held her in her own room, she hadn't done that. Perhaps seeing her family had given her strength, or maybe it was just beginning the Victors Tour.

Either way, her breathing soon grew steady and slow, and I felt myself drifting into sleep. So I wrapped my other arm around her, brought the blankets up, and slipped into the welcoming darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

~_Glimmer Point of View_

I woke up before Cato the next morning. His breathing was still steady, but I wondered why I couldn't feel any of his body. Looking down, I noticed he had slept with a blanket draped over him on top of the bed. Ever since that first night when I had almost clawed his eyes out in fear, he hadn't actually slept next to me. I was kind of grateful for it, especially with the clothes Wynn gave me to sleep in. He, like the rest of the world, thought I was sexy and should dress as such. So when my nightgown got "accidently" torn in the door jam, he gave me these wear. I wasn't comfortable being in them alone, much less with Cato next to me. It bared my stomach and accentuated my breasts, hips, and legs. I had tried to keep myself from going to him that night, feeling way too needy. But I had gone anyway because I was too scared to try to sleep alone, even with the memories of my family dancing in my head.

So I had gone to him in the darkness, and even though his room was dim, I had seen the light of desire in them as he had looked at me. I could tell he was in control of it, comfortable with it and me, and I trusted him not to make a move unless I gave the okay. But that quick spark of desire had made me hesitate, until he sat up and patted the bed, and the old him was back.

I was afraid he'd try something, but he didn't. Even when he rubbed my back, he never touched my skin through the sheets. It was as if he knew I was scared. Or that if he did touch me, he wouldn't be able to control himself. The latter scared me the most, and I hoped it wasn't that.

The day was slow after I woke up. I tried to read the morning away after breakfast, but even my book was boring. And as I put the book down and tried to think of something to do, a thought dawned on me. What had they shown the night Thresh came? They liked to show deaths, and they knew where I was, where we both had been. But they hadn't shown what he had done. If they had, Wynn would have known, everyone would have. But Mom and Dad hadn't known, no one I had talked to since the Games had known.

So I looked up at the screen in my room and flipped to Thresh's death. It was the quickest blur of the whole Games. It only showed him beating me with his fists for a few moments, my intense struggling, and then Cato rushing in and killing him. And of course after that they had to show him making sure I was alright, gently scooping me up and moving me so I was comfortable and he could tend to my wounds. They briefly showed him holding a wet cloth to a mark on my head as we looked at each other sweetly before the clip was over.

I stared at the screen for a few moments afterward. They hadn't shown the revenge Thresh had gotten. A shudder ran down my spine when I realized- they had edited that out, meaning they had _watched it happen_. The Gamemaker and his crew had watched him take advantage of me, maybe even _laughed_, and they had done absolutely nothing to help. I knew they were heartless, but could they really be that heartless as to watch a girl be abused like that and no one had thought or cared to do anything?

At least they didn't show it though. They probably couldn't. The Games was watched for the deaths, for the survival and battles, alliances and betrayals. It was not watched for anything sexual, and what Thresh did would have been considered in that category. Perhaps they were afraid of an uprising if they had happened to show it. Yes, people went along, grudgingly of course, with children killing children and teens killing teens. But parents, as much as it hurt for them to watch their children die, would not have stood for what had happened to me. It would have been the first time the Capitol turned away from blood, I know. Because even the strange, stuck up people in the Capitol would not have been able to watch, nor let their children watch, blood running down a young girls thighs as a man hurt her in the worst way possible.

It was a strange way to feel comfort, but it brought me some. I was angrey at the Gamemaker, but now I could do nothing.

But how could I stop this from happening again? Obviously it must have happened before, or the crew wouldn't have been able to edit it and handle everything so cleanly. This was one thing no one told you about in training, something no mentor would say or anyone would tell you. It was an untold horror of the arena, as if there needed to be one more to add to the fears we actually expected.

Perhaps I could do something to help. If only to help the girl I might mentor next year. I would tell her, warn her. And hopefully she would be better for it, and would trust no man in that arena. It might have been quite beneficial to know Cato, but if I hadn't been there with him that night, Thresh would never have found me. Not to mention, next year there would not be two victors- there would be one. If there could only be one, it was best to be alone. Because when alliances broke, they usually didn't break pretty.

_Cato Point of View_

Our off day was boring. I had hoped to talk to Glimmer more, but she stayed holed up in her room. I didn't know what she did in there, but I wasn't going to invade her privacy and go in. She got enough of me at night, though we seldom talked then.

When she had come last night, it had been a little different. I always knew she had a body, always knew she had very fine charms hidden under her clothes. But when she came last night, in those skimpy pieces of clothing, I had barely been able to contain myself. Hopefully she hadn't seen the look in my eyes, a look which would have terrified her. I had looked at her, only for a brief moment, with the desire to take her under me in bed. But she must not have seen that, or she wouldn't have come and lay down next to me. She wouldn't have let me run my fingers through her hair or sit so close to her.

If she had seen it, she would have turn and fled. Because poor Glimmer would have thought I would act on that quick spark. I never would have, unless she had wanted to. But she very clearly was not interested in me, or anyone, like that, which I was fine with. We'd be on this train for a while, and after that possibly living together in the Capitol. They would keep us two victors together, the only ones to win as a pair. And that would mean I would get my chance. One day, she would change; she would get over the horrible wrong that was done to her. And when that day came, I of course would be there. She'd be a woman one day, and all women have needs.

I grinned to myself at the thought. Glimmer would be a very nice prize one day. I was sure I'd be her first, since I didn't count Thresh. He might have gotten her untouched, but I would get her with consent, and she'd still be good.

Me, I had lost count of the times I'd had women in my bed. As a very attractive career, I was used to women and girls alike fawning over me. But only the good-looking and smart ones had the pleasure of me over them in bed. Clove had actually been one of those. She, though, hadn't thought exactly like most had.

_My kisses trailed down her neck as I sucked on her pulse, making her moan. I felt her legs wrap around my waist as I laid her down under me on the bed. Unexpectedly, she climbed on top of me, straddling my hips and looking down on me with a sly grin. As she leaned down to kiss me, I gripped her hips and pinned her under me so quickly I knocked the wind out of her. She lay under me, panting with a confused look on her face._

_ "Why did you do that?" Her breathing was heavy, her chest rising and falling, her legs still under mine._

_ "Because I'm always on top." I tried to kiss her collarbone, but she jerked away, wrapping her legs around my hips and pinning _me_ under_ her_. _

_ "Not this time." _

_ But I snarled and gripped her legs too hard; forcing her arms above her head as once more she was under me. It was the one and only time I saw fear in her eyes that I had caused. I hadn't meant to frighten her; I had meant to teach her a lesson. But she had been still under me, panting once more as I looked down on her. And then I opened my mouth, talking to her calmly._

_ "If you want this Clove, we do this my way, understood? You don't get to be on top, because I want to be on top. And I _always_ get what I want, okay? Now, if you're not okay with that, the door is on the other side of the room. I'm sure there are other girls who will be much more willing." _

_ She shook her head, and never tried to get her way with me in bed again. I hadn't been gentle with her that time, and I regretted it now. At the time I hadn't known she was a virgin, I hadn't thought to ask. She had tried being so dominant with me I thought she'd been with a man at least once. And it's not like she had bothered to tell me. Even as I was rough with her, she had never screamed out in pain, never told me to stop, never said I was hurting her. I guess I should have known when she winced, when I had taken her innocence in one swoop without so much as the bat of an eyelash, when she had gasped under me, shuddered, and left tear stains on my pillow that I only found after she left the next morning, just as I had only found the blood on my sheets the next morning. I had debated even then that maybe it was simply her time of the month, that it had come in the night. But I knew now that I had taken her virginity brutally. That partially showed her strength, I had thought at the time. That even as I hurt her without realizing it, she had never begged nor pleaded. I knew then she would fight to the death in the arena, no matter the pain. Because some of the worst pain in the world they say, is being taken harshly for the first time as girl. I had done that to her, perhaps even increasing her confidence in what she could handle. I just wish I could have apologized for what I had done before the Tracker Jackers got her. _


	5. Chapter 5

_Glimmer Point of View_

That night he came to me. As usual, he didn't knock, he just came in quietly. I was used to the time he came now, and was always sure I was ready. I sat on the bed and only looked at him when he came in. Still silent, he came forward and sat next to me, and I sighed, putting my head on his shoulder. That was the okay that he could take my hair down, and then we'd lie down. But tonight, I wanted things to go a little differently.

Instead of getting under the covers first and keeping him out, I kept the sheets open. My heart was beating quickly. I was afraid that maybe he would try something if he was so close to me. But I wanted to be able to feel him warm next to me. He raised an eyebrow, not making a move.

"You're sure?" I nodded slowly, and he could probably tell I was still a little frightened. He gently slid under the covers, and I put my head on his shoulder. I could feel the heat of his hand before he gingerly laid a hand on my waist. I glanced at him in the darkness, letting him know that it was alright what he was doing. He slid his hand all the way around my waist, across my stomach, and slid his hand under me on the other side. I was completely closed in his grasp, a very tight grasp. I wiggled a little bit, and he let go, putting his hand back on my stomach. I sighed again. Then he spoke.

"Why are you letting me do this?" I twisted my head back to look at him. He was propped on his elbow, one hand on me, the other supporting his head. I thought for a moment before answering him.

"Because I trust you," it came out in a whisper, and he smiled at me, kissing my forehead. As I settled down and started to go to sleep, I felt his hand move. It wasn't going anywhere it shouldn't, just slowly running over my exposed skin, almost as if he was... exploring, kind of. His hand was gentle as he rubbed my midriff, my back. Where I had let him touch was where he stayed, in between my two pieces of clothing. His hand was warm, and I enjoyed it, moving closer to him, my back on his front. As he grew sleepy, his hand stopped moving, resting on my stomach. He kissed my ear and whispered into it, letting me feel his hot breathe against my neck.

"Sweet dreams Glimmer." He settled down, quickly falling to sleep. I followed him off that cliff into the world that overtakes your mind when you're asleep.

And sweet dreams I had. It was the first night I dreamed of Cato, and didn't wake in the middle of the night, terrified of _him._

_ Cato Point of View_

Before she was awake the next morning, I stared at the beautiful girl resting in my arms. She had let me touch her last night, and her skin was soft, supple, smooth and warm. She had even let me explore a little bit, letting me run my hand along her stomach and back. As I had drifted to sleep, my hand stopped on her belly, I had had a strange thought. One day, her belly wouldn't be flat like it was now, it would be swollen, I was sure, swollen with child. Glimmer, I knew, would want a baby one day, perhaps even with me. These were thoughts I wasn't used to having, and I pushed them away as I fell into sleep.

But now that sunlight was streaming through the window, bathing her in golden light and shining beautifully on her hair, I couldn't deny it. This "crush" had greatly developed into what you might call young love. Of all the girls I had in bed, I had never loved them. Clove had accused me of that one day in the arena, when we were sent off to look for firewood.

_"So your new object of desire is Glimmer," she had stated, bending over to pick up a large piece of wood. I had dropped the log I was carrying, staring at her. _

_ "What are you talking about?" I didn't like it when other people knew things like that, but she shrugged, throwing down an unusable piece of wood with enough force to convince me she was angrey._

_ "That's what you do, isn't it? After you screw a girl over in bed, you find a new one. In case you didn't know, Cato, that was my first time. You hurt me, you hurt me really bad. And I guess I was wrong to think you had any feelings for me, all you were looking for was a good night with a tight little virgin." _

_ I stared at her, starting to get angrey myself. Who was she to accuse me of being so heartless, and so what if all I wanted was a night in bed with someone? That was my business, not hers. But when I glanced up at her, though I knew she was angrey, I wasn't counting on her being sad, too. Tears had gathered in her eyes, and her words ran through my head. '_You hurt me._' I hadn't meant to, I would never have hurt her on purpose. _

_ I went and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, putting my wood on a rock. Gently, I tried to take her in my arms and hug her, talking to her gently._

_ "I didn't know it was your first time, Clove. I promise, I wasn't trying to hurt you, if I had known-"_

_ She cut me off, pulling away. "If you had known, what, you would have been gentle with me? You have no idea how many times I wanted to beg you to stop, how many times I wanted to scream that you were hurting me as I bled on your sheets. But I didn't, because I'm stronger than that. Just don't go and keep on hurting girls like that. I don't know if Glimmer's a virgin, and I don't really care what you do. Just know that some things can't be forgiven, like blood pouring out of someone because you didn't think and didn't care." _

_ She barged off then. I would have apologized; I would have held her close and told her how sorry I was I had hurt her so deeply. I didn't like hurting girls, I liked to protect them, and I _did_ care. It was only chance this had happened with Clove by accident. _

_ Little did we know what lay in store for us, when the nest fell because of that stupid girl from 12. And still, sometimes in the dead of the night, I'll hear her screams. That's one of the things that haunt me the most, the screams of pain from a dear friend who I had wronged, and never gotten a chance to get right with. _

_ Glimmer Point of View_

We were in 2 now, Cato's district. I could tell he was happy as I stood in his doorway, watching him get ready. He had a grin on his face and was rushing around the room, throwing on clothes and checking his hair in the mirror. Though he knew I was there, he made no move to say anything as he sped around trying to look like perfection. A suit had been laid out of him, with a dark blue tie that matched the dress I was already wearing. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't great at actually tying ties. I watched him struggle with it for a minute, trying to tuck my laughter behind my teeth, before going to him. Sure, he could slice someone's head off in an instant, but give him dress clothes to put on, and he was sunk. I took the piece of fabric in my hands and tied it like I had for Jarius on his first reaping. He had quickly denied a bow tie, and mother had given him an old one of our fathers. I had helped him tie it, and he had beamed up at me, proud of himself that now he too had the chance to represent his district.

Once we were both ready, we still had a few minutes to kill. We sat on a couch, looking out the window as others talked across the room from us. I looked Cato in the eye before dropping my gaze to my lap as I opened my mouth.

"Won't they hate me? I mean, Clove is dead, she's the one they want, not me." He put his hand on my leg.

"They won't hate you, it's not like you killed them. Besides, no one is going to do anything. You'll probably get some nasty looks from her friends and family, but nothing major. You'll be fine, just stick with me."

I nodded. To my surprise, everything did go fine. Yes, there were some dirty looks from people, but at least everybody loved Cato, who waved to the crowd with a huge and triumphant grin on his face. I was less certain, but Cato stuck close to me, even putting a hand on the small of my back as we both waved. In that instant, everyone knew that I was off limits. I had heard stories of people being attacked, either physically or verbally, when they stopped in other districts. But now I was sure that wouldn't happen, not with him by me.

As I had asked him to meet my family in 1, now he was having me meet his. His mother and father, Aless and Kanan, and a little sister named Brena. Their house wasn't in the Victors Village, and I was surprised. However, that's not to say they didn't live well, as his father was the Mayor's assistant. I was shy upon meeting them, but they were nice and welcoming, especially his little sister. She was 10, not yet old enough to compete in the Games. It was clear she adored Cato, and now looked up to me too.

Dinner was wonderful, and afterward, his mother and I walked outside in their large garden. We were both quiet for a moment, but soon she was talking.

"You're a very fine girl, Glimmer. I can see why my son adores you." She smiled at me, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Thank you, though I'm not sure 'adore' is the right word. He's very sweet, you raised him well." She nodded in thanks and we continued to walk. Cato was the spitting imagine of his mother. She had blonde hair pulled up, and blue eyes just like his. His little sister looked more like his father, with brown waves, though both had blue eyes. She stopped and took my hands in hers, smiling still.

"Oh my dear, he certainly does adore you. Of all the girls that he's looked at, you are very clearly the one he prizes the most. I hope you both turn out very happy together."

My eyes got wide as she said the last sentence, and I dropped my hands from hers in surprise.

"Together? Oh no, we're not together." I shook my head, shock in my eyes. But she turned her head to the side knowingly.

"Then what are you, just friends? I can tell you each have feelings for each other." I glanced up at her under my lashes. She could read people very well.

"It's...complicated," I said after a big breathe. She sat us both down on a small stone bench, and asked me to tell her about it. So I took another gulp of air before finding a place to begin in my mind.

"Well, he holds me at night, but during the day, we never really are that close. And I certainly do like him, I just don't know if he likes me for me, or if he wants...something else." It was awkward, accusing her son of wanting me in bed. But she only nodded. Just as she was about to say something, Cato came around the corner.

"Glimmer, there you are. Mom, please tell me you aren't barraging her with embarrassing questions." He smiled at her, and she at him. She stood up and hugged him, putting a hand on his cheek and looking at him as a very proud mother.

"I'm so proud of you honey. Now," she said, dropping her hand, "you take care of this girl." He laughed and offered me a hand to help me up. As we left her in the garden, he didn't drop my hand, and we walked close to each other. Brena came running out of the house and into the backyard. He let go of my hand, and as she came around the bend, picked her up. She shrieked with laughter as he put her on his hip. She grinned at him, still laughing, and he smiled back.

"How's my favourite sister?" He asked, poking her in the nose to make her laugh even harder. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm your only sister silly." He still smiled at her, putting a hand on her head.

"You're still my favourite. Are you getting sleepy? Do you want me to put you to bed? I know you like Mom too, but I have to leave tonight." She nodded and sighed tiredly against him. He smiled at me and left.

He expected me to wait downstairs, but I didn't. I followed him as he carried his little sister up the stairs and helped her get changed for bed before tucking her gently in to bed with a kiss on the forehead. When her breathing grew steady, he stood up to leave, and found me peeking in the doorway. He smiled again and closed the door behind him, taking my hand as we went back down the stairs.

"You're so sweet with Brena." I looked at him. It was if he was always smiling around his family.

"I love her to bits, and you can probably tell she adores me. She likes you to, I promise. Everybody does." He was sweet, and I wondered why he hadn't let go of my hand, not that I was complaining.

As we got back on the train, he looked back longingly, barely able to see the top of his house. I could tell he wanted to stay, but with a sigh he boarded the train that would carry us to District 3, two days away.

_Cato Point of View_

She comes to me that night. I've been ready for a while, lying in bed and thinking about my family, especially sweet little Brena. I adore her, and she adores me. When I volunteered, she was my only family member who cried when it came time to say goodbye. Mom and Dad, though they were worried they were confident and proud. But my little sister was scared for me, and I could feel it in her grip around my neck before time was up and Dad had to pull her away.

That was the hardest thing of the whole Games. Even when I met Glimmer and thought I might have to kill her, the image of Brena would have made me do it. Now, though, if I had to choose, what would I do? That's just the thing, I don't know.

Either way, she comes to me that night. Still in those skimpy clothing, and this time, like the last, I can keep the desire out of my eyes as we lay down. She's stopped going stiff, now she relaxes into me as I run my fingers through her hair. Also, now that she lets me sleep next to her, I can run my hand along her skin. It's nice that she trusts me, nice that I can run my fingers along her stomach and she won't jerk away. She's made progress since the night I found her having that nightmare.

Tonight I do the same thing as last night, let her get settled before running my hand along her exposed midriff. It's sexy, and I like it. Though we're not in a relationship, I'm not sure what this is. I know Mom considers us dating, especially since she knows that we sleep in the same bed. But we're not.

Though as I touch her, rubbing lazy patterns as she falls asleep, I can't help think of what might be. Will she ever let me get beyond this? Will she ever let me kiss her, hold her, grip her in my arms and maybe even take her under me in bed one day.


	6. Chapter 6

~_Glimmer Point of View_

I don't go to sleep immediately that night. Cato is asleep long before I am. I've decided that to go through the healing process, I need to acknowledge what happened. A psychologist told me that in the Capitol weeks ago, and I've been trying to come to terms with that. And now, after seeing Cato's happy family, I realized it. If I ever wanted anything like that, a nice house with a husband and children, I had to get past this. And get passed it I would. So I closed my eyes and let my mind open up the tightly locked door of my worst night in the arena.

_He was standing at the opening to the enclosure we had built. I had a dagger brought up, but he put his hands up as if in surrender, making me slowly lower the weapon._

_ "I'm not here to kill you. I just want to ask you something." I eye him warily as he steps inside, and I wait for him to continue._

_ "I want to try to kill the boy from 1, and I need your help." Was he stupid? Didn't he know I was also form 1? But perhaps that's why he was asking._

_ "I don't know where Marvel is. After he killed that little girl, he disappeared." I snickered slightly. Her death had been highly over exaggerated, with the girl from 12 burying her in flowers. But I couldn't deny it was sweet. As I looked back at him, I noticed he was angrey. Oh no. I hadn't remembered that little girl had been from his District. I gulped, reaching for my dagger. But he was faster. _

_ Before I knew it, the dagger was out the door, and he was on top of me. I struggled under him, but he was big and had strength on his side. Still, I was small. Maybe I could slip under his arm and hit him with a log from the fire._

_ He saw it coming. He had me pinned under him, his breath coming out of his nostrils like that of a bull in a bullfight I had learned about in school. I struggled and kicked, and after I managed to hit him in the leg, he pressed his knees into my thighs, making me gasp. He was heavy, much too heavy for my body to handle. _

_ "You know what, Glimmer?" He sneered my name as he looked down at me, clearly beyond the point of rational thinking. "I will make you pay for Rue's death. Katniss might have gotten Marvel before I could, but I can get revenge on you." _

_ And before I knew it, he had my hands tied with rope form his pack. I cursed myself silently for making the enclosure with a tree nearby, which he tied my hands too. I wasn't sure exactly what he was doing, but I found out quickly. _

_ "What on earth..." He had pulled my pants down, stole a quick glare at me, and then did the unthinkable. As soon as I felt him, I let out a blood curling scream. He was big, he was harsh, he didn't wait for me to get used to it. And he certainly didn't care that I was a virgin. I screamed again, feeling something tear deep inside me. I had already broken in half when he first got me, and now this? I didn't know what was happening. I didn't know what happened between a man and a woman like this. But still, I kept screaming, until I finally found my voice, and through pain filled gasps, I was able to talk._

_ "Please Thresh, please stop! It...it hurts, please, please. No one...no one has ever done this, please, just stop, PLEASE!" I had gasped and kept screaming, begging._

_But he hadn't, he hadn't until he could distantly hear someone rustling in the woods. That's when he quickly righted both of our clothing, untied my hands, and put his fists to me. _

I awoke quite suddenly, shooting up in bed. When had I fallen asleep? I was panting, a sheen of sweat covering me. The bed was too warm, the room too dark as I tried to breathe deeply and catch my breath. I felt someone stir next to me, and I saw Cato's form in the dark. He put an arm around my shoulder as I stayed sitting.

"Is everything okay, what's wrong? Did you have another nightmare?" Slowly I turned to look at him, burying my face in his shoulder.

"If only it had been a nightmare." He laid us back down, rubbing my back and holding me close, whispering words of comfort in my ear. He kept telling me it was going to be okay. And as I slowly began to be soothed to sleep, I heard Cato begin to whisper to himself.

"I should have gotten to her. I should never have left. But because I did, this is what she has to deal with. How could I have made her suffer through that?"

I opened my eyes, twisting my head. He was blaming himself for what had happened. Gently, I turned on my back and placed a hand on his cheek.

"It's not your fault Cato, don't blame yourself." But he moved his face away and peered out the window to the train. And then he whispered the reality that neither of us had wanted to accept.

"He raped you, Glimmer. He took you for the first time and made you bleed under him, and I couldn't stop it. I should have stopped it. And now you're going to have with that for the rest of your life."

I sighed; taking his face in my hands and making him look at me.

"Do not blame yourself. You couldn't have stopped it. Everything's fine now." But he didn't believe me. No one would, or could.

"Everything's not fine, sweetheart. He took something that I can't give back, no matter how many times I say I'm sorry. You wake up screaming at night and all I can do is hold you. He forced you to do something that's the worst possible torture and I can't do anything. He made blood run down your legs, he broke your-"

I cut him off, a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as he described what happened. "Just stop. I know what happened. I don't need you telling me. Let's just go to sleep." I turned on my side, facing away from him in anger.

And then I felt him kissing my hair, his hand rubbing my front. His lips went from my hair to my ear, then to my jaw. He was apologizing. I turned over to tell him it's okay and that our fight was dumb. But as I opened my mouth, he puts his lips to mine, and all I could feel was a kiss that sent shivers through my whole body and electricity down my spine.

He gently stopped kissing me, both of us opening our eyes. He's got his arms wrapped around me, and I'm so close to him yet not afraid. He rests his forehead against mine, almost as if he's going to kiss me again. My left leg is over his right one, and I realize that my other is bent down. If he wanted, he could flip himself on top of me and I'd be very vulnerable. But he doesn't. He moves away, letting us both get comfortable until he takes me in his arm, presses one last kiss behind my ear, and we tumble into the world of sleep.

_Cato Point of View_

We're in 3 now. I don't really remember the tributes from there, and any dirty looks just bounce off. Hey, they aren't Careers, deal with it. But Glimmer is clearly hurt by the glares, and doesn't wave as big or smile as brightly as she had in Districts 1 and 2. We don't spend long there, and it's only a few hours ride to 4. So after getting off and doing our thing, we board the train again. This time it's during the day, and I take Glimmers hand before she can scamper off to her room.

As I sat her down in my room in a pair of chairs, she pouted at me, pulling her hand from my grasp and putting it in her lap.

"What do you want?" She didn't look at me, just stared at her hands as she fidgeted in her seat.

"I want to talk." I looked at her, waiting for her to meet my eyes. She did, but only for a moment before she answered me.

"Why?" Anyone could tell she was grumpy, that she very obviously did not want to talk right now. But I wanted to, I had lots of questions and very little answer, and I had a feeling she might be able to answer a few of them.

I sighed before answering her. "I have questions, and I think you might have answers." She just nodded, waiting for me to continue, so I brought up my first question. "Why do you hole up in your room all day and only come to me at night?" She stared out the window for a moment before slowly opening her mouth.

"I don't really know. I guess, because people will expect me to be the old me, they'll expect me to be happy and...different. During the day, I just, sort of, prefer to be alone."

I nodded slowly, looking out the window as well. Her answer didn't exactly surprise me, because I hadn't known what to expect. But still, I wasn't sure what to say next. Surprisingly, she asked me a question, though it wasn't really a question, it was more of a statement.

"Your mother said you adore me." She looked at me finally, glancing at me from under thick lashes, coloured dark with mascara. I chuckled a bit, blushing slightly.

"Perhaps I do." I reached over and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, and she smiled at me. Then her eyes grew dark, and she asked me a more serious question.

"Is all you want me for is to get me in bed?"

I drew in a breath and stared at her. Her eyes held hurt, and the fear of future pain and betrayal. Slowly, I got up and went over to her chair, sitting on the arm and running my fingers through her hair. I had to answer her honestly, and I knew that would scare her. But I did anyway.

"That's not all I want you for, sweetheart. You most certainly are beautiful, but that's not your only worth. There's an amazing person inside you, and I want to get to know that. And to answer you honestly- please don't be scared- yes, hopefully one day I'll get to have you like that. But only if you want to and only if the time is right."

She's gone stiff, though my fingers are still running through her golden locks. The room is so silent I can hear her breathing. Gently, I get down on my knees in front of her, taking both of her hands in mine. Tears have welled up in her eyes.

"Please Glimmer, don't think that's all I want you for, because it isn't. I want the girl underneath." I wipe a tear off her cheek, though she remains stalk still before slowly opening her mouth.

"You promise?" She's starting to shake, the poor thing is so scared.

"Promise what exactly?" She sniffles slightly before answering.

"Promise that one night you won't...you won't let that look in your eye go too far." So she has seen it. Yet she still trusted me enough to hold her at night, still trusted me enough to come in here with me. I nod, placing a kiss to her brow. Her quick excuse is that she needs to change, and I let her go. At least now there aren't so many mysteries on both sides.

District 4 is just as boring as 3 was, with the same responses from the victims' families, the same forced cheers for the gruff looking Peacekeepers. We're back on the train quickly, but they tell us it will take through the night to get to 5, so we board the train at dusk and prepare for another night of sleep.

I go to her that night. She's already lying in bed, but she pops up when I come in. I like the way she smiles at me, especially at night, when it's sweet and innocent and full of trust, a little like Brena. Tonight though, instead of letting me hug her around the waist, she puts a hand on my chest and closes her eyes, meaning she's facing me. If I let out a deep breathe, I can see it in the hair beginning to fall over her eyes. She's a beauty. But I can tell she's not asleep, just as I'm not. She opens her eyes and peers up at me, and I rub her back in the darkness.

"Do you want children one day, Glimmer?" She quirks her head at me, curious at my question and why I'm asking it.

"Yes, someday, what about you?" I sigh before I answer, and she snuggles closer in the dark.

"I don't know, I haven't given it much thought. But I think that someday I'd like a wife and maybe a kid or two." She nods in the darkness, and I hold her close. I feel her breathe before I hear her question.

"Do you like me, Cato?" I look down at her. She's picking at my t-shirt with her fingers, letting me know she's nervous. I smile at her.

"Yes Glimmer. I kissed you, didn't I? I hold you in my arms every night and sooth you to sleep. I most defiantly like you."

She grins up at me, and leans up to place a small kiss on my lips. I take it as the sign of 'I like you to.' I rub her back again, putting my head on top of hers. When we fall asleep, I'm not sure, but I know she's got her arms around my neck, so we're both tethered together in the darkness.


	7. Chapter 7

_Glimmer Point of View_

District 5 is mundane, and we've finally come to expect the glares, the whispers, the forced cheers for another Districts victory. I don't blame them- in years past, when other Districts have won instead of mine, we were the same way. Especially when my friend Calla volunteered for her pregnant older sister and the boy from 4 killed her. That year, I glared at him, the proud victor, and I saw the smirk he flashed at me.

Either way, we're back on the train and heading to 6 by the end of the day. I'm in the shower when I hear my door open. Cato's voice barely comes through the door as he says my name, and I shout "Just a minute", before hurriedly turning off the water and wrapping myself in a towel. I'm lucky that I do it so quickly, because he steps through the door just as I'm covered. My blush begins to rise. I'm standing in front of this boy who has admitted that he likes me, and that I like him. My body is covered in nothing but a towel, I've got on no makeup, and my hair is dripping and flat. But he sucks in a breathe, and whispers as he looks at me.

"I've never seen someone more beautiful in my life." He's just staring at me, and I still feel a little strange. Slowly, he comes over to me and tilts my head up for a kiss, which I give him, and then he finally shuts the door.

This puts me in a frenzy, and I'm quickly pulling on clothes and wrapping a towel around my hair, sticking it under the dryer so it's dry in 10 minutes. That's when I finally go out to him. He's sitting on the bed, but stands up and comes over to me, smiling, when I come through the door. I feel his arms wrap around my waist, and he pulls me close and kisses me again. We slowly go toward the bed, and I lie down, waiting for him to get in too. I love the way he holds me at night, our whispered questions in the dark as we fall asleep.

Tonight as I let him hold me, his hand did the same thing as the first time- trace my stomach and any exposed skin between my shorts and top. It feels good, his warm hand on my skin, just a little rough still, from the Games. But I think his hands were always rough, probably from training. Some of the callouses he has on them have been there for years. Again, he keeps his hands where they should be, and I fall to sleep just as he stops.

"I love you, my beauty. Sleep well."

District 6 is even worse than all the others. We're well beyond Career territory, and it shows. It shows in the weak people my own age who stand and clap for someone who killed their friend. It shows in the parents who sigh and tear up, probably knowing as soon as their child's name was called that they would never see them alive again. My last thought strikes. As we board the train, I can't contain my emotions and I run back to my room, Cato trailing behind me. I rush into my room and sit on the bed, almost gasping. My pink dress is too tight, the back done up in a tight corset. The tears are slowly beginning to run down my face. If I was one of those parents...

"Glimmer, what's wrong sweetheart?" Cato is behind me. He puts his hands on my shoulder and I turn to face him, explaining my sudden burst of emotion.

"What if I was one of their parents? They're not Career's. They don't have the assurance that we do. And even sometimes we don't come back! What if my children one day get reaped and...and they don't come home?"

I was in a panic, having never realized the possibility before. No wonder her older friends were wary about children. They knew one day, the reaping would happen. And the possibility would drive them mad.

Cato had me in a deep hug, caressing my back, whispering words of comfort in my ear. Slowly, I calmed down a bit, enough that my dress was getting awfully uncomfortable. With a small smile I went into the bathroom to unlace it. Then I found out why my dressing team had helped me get into it- it was just as impossible to get out of by yourself. I knew Cato was in the next room, but I was nervous. I tried to talk myself into calming down- I'd stood in front of him almost naked, once with just a towel wrapped around me, Why was I nervous now, what was the difference? The difference was that this time he would have his hands on me, with the ability to take advantage of me. He never had before, why should he now? So with a deep breathe I opened the door. He seemed surprised that I was still in my dress, and I blushed.

"Could you help with the back of it?" He smiled and came over, turning me around and undoing the laces. His fingers were deft, and I could barely feel them graze my skin. When he reached the end, he simply stopped and stood back. I was grateful, and went to finish changing.

_Cato Point of View_

I had my hands on her, for crying out loud. I should have kissed her, should have made some sort of move. Lord, I had been _undressing her._ She was right in my grasp. But I knew why I hadn't, why I hadn't shoved her up against the wall and let my desire become carnal. Because I cared about her. I cared more than to force her- _again_- to do something that should be a choice. Because I wanted her first proper time to be good, not evil, not harsh or animalistic. Yes, she was a beauty. Yes she was most defiantly sexy and defiantly turned me on sometimes. But I loved the gentle moments, the times I got to hold her and talk to her, I loved that more. Yes, I'm an 18 year old boy, driven my hormones, and that slipped through a lot. But I cared about Glimmer so much more than I cared about myself.

When she came back out, I simply smiled at her. It was too early for bed, but she was already dressed for it, though I was still in my suit. She came over, and instead of sitting next to me, sat down on my knee, swinging her legs over mine so she was sitting in my lap. My breath hitched as she put her head on the inside of my shoulder. I rubbed her back and kissed her hair, and she smiled, sighing. When I went to kiss her cheek, she turned her head and put her lips to mine. My hands slid to her sides, almost down to her waist, and she shivered, kissing me a little bit harder. My tongue grazed her lips, but she didn't open them, and I didn't do it again. I could be patient for the beauty in my arms.

We lay in bed that night, and I slowly began to fall asleep. Glimmer had fallen asleep an hour ago, tired and relaxed in my arms. My eyelids drooped.

_They pulled her away before I could hold her tight enough. What were they doing, and why? The Gamemaker stood nearby with President Snow, him leering, the President simply business-like, as always. Glimmer was crying, sobbing, begging for them not to do something. That's when I realized._

_ They'd sold her, like Finnick Odair. We all knew that what his purpose was. But how could they do that to my Glimmer, knowing, knowing what had happened to her during the Games? The Gamemaker took her arm harshly in his grasp. Barely, I felt myself running, and screaming._

_ "No, no don't! Don't hurt her!" But Snow's guards caught me, and I watched in horror as the Gamemaker drug her off, back into a room with a hidden door. I waited with bated breath, until I heard a sheer, awful, gut wrenching, blood curling scream. He'd hurt her, he'd hurt my Glimmer. I yelled in anger and frustration, running towards where they disappeared. And that's all I could do, run, run towards her screams, and I could never find her..._

I woke up sweaty. The nightmare hadn't been long, but I could still hear screams echoing in my mind. Glimmer stirred slightly, woken my sudden start. She turned over, eyeing my gasping and sweaty form. Gently, she put a hand to my cheek, sliding closer with her other hand on my chest.

"What's the matter?" She sat up with me, concerned. I looked at her for a moment before grasping her tightly to my chest, holding on to her for dear life.

"Oh Lord sweetheart, they took you, the Capitol sold you... And I couldn't stop them, I tried, but I couldn't... Oh dear Lord..." She wrapped her arms around my back, holding me just as tightly as I was holding her. I hoped I hadn't scared her. My nightmare could very possibly become reality. They sometimes sold victors as sex symbols, and Glimmer defiantly passed the good-looking requirement. If something like that happened, I knew she'd be scarred for the rest of her life, and me, I would be heartbroken.

"It's alright Cato, that won't happen, everything is fine." She said it just as much for me as she did for herself, and we smiled weakly at each other. As I lay back down she put her head on my chest, and I rubbed my hands on her back. Before we both fell back to sleep, I heard her voice.

"You won't let that happen, will you?" I wish I could promise her that. But I can't. Either way, she needs to know I still love her.

"I will try my very best sweetheart." I kissed her head. "Now go back to bed, we both need it."

District 6 was boring, just like all the ones since 1 and 2. We waved, we smiled, they cheered for us, their new most hated enemies. It's not like we were so thrilled to be doing this, it was just waving at people we didn't particularly like either.

Back on the train again, eating dinner on a mahogany table under a crystal chandelier. The food had always been good, but after eating it for so long I craved my mother's homemade apple bread and the smell of my father's strong coffee. Though I would never admit it, sometimes the chocolate cake was too rich and dinner had so many smells it was overwhelming.

I woke up at dawn the next morning. For some reason, my body told me something wasn't right. Glimmer wasn't next to me, although I'd been holding her tightly hours ago. Rubbing my eyes to try and see, I saw where she was. She was kneeling at the window, looking out as the sun began to rise. Why, I didn't know, but I joined her at the window and soon found out why.

District 7 produces lumber, and we were going through a huge forest. The trees were giant, the sun filtering down through green leaves to hit the brown floor beneath them. Pinks and oranges lit the place, and it was breathtakingly beautiful. I slid next to Glimmer on the floor, and she put her head on my shoulder.

"It's lovely, isn't it?" I simple nodded, putting an arm around her and pulling her closer. The moment was perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better start to the day- watching the sunrise with my love at my side. The Capitol tried to say life would be better there, with their crazy fashions and foods, never ending parties and abundance of riches. But right now, this was much better than any stone home in the heart of an overwhelming city. Right now would be described as simply indescribable.

After seeing something with so much beauty, we actually felt bad for their people and the families of their tributes. Yes, we still waved and smiled and acted like the happy victors. But in a way, we were a bit jealous. Jealous that they got such beauty, while back home, there was nothing but rocks and quarries and factories for me, however well-disguised, with Peacekeepers always around for training. And for Glimmer, there was nothing but factories in fancy buildings, supplying the Capitol with their much needed luxury items. Here, there were woods, you could hear the birds and see chipmunks running through the tops of the trees. This simple view of nature was something to be jealous of.


	8. Chapter 8

_Glimmer Point of View_

7 was beautiful, and now we were on our way to 8. These Districts were very different from us Careers, but we were learning they also had a lot of offer, just in other ways.

Still, the waves from us and fake cheers from the crowd continued. It was tedious and boring, especially here. Wynn thought I'd instantly like the place since they produced textiles, and made clothes. But it wasn't all that interesting. Cato yawned behind his hand several times, and I didn't blame him. Though the tour was made to look glittery and fun, it was getting rather predictable.

That night, we found it would be a three day ride to 9. They produced grain, meaning there were giant fields spanning for miles, with barely enough room for a track to be built. So I got dressed and went to Cato early.

He wasn't ready yet, and as I opened the door, I found him standing with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, looking for his nightclothes. A bright blush made its way up my face. You could see the toned muscles on his torso and chest, and I gulped. Was he hot or what? And with his hair still wet and a bit floppy, that just made him look sexier. Slowly, I turned around, just as he had done the times when he'd accidently walked in on me. I heard him drop his towel and quickly pull his clothes one. I hadn't thought that just a couple of months after the Games; I'd feel so strongly like I did for him.

But I did, so when he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, letting me feel how his hips fit so snugly over mine, I didn't pull away. The position was very amours, and I liked it. As long as he didn't start grinding into me, I was comfortable. And out of nowhere, he put one hand on the back of my knees, another below my shoulders, and picked me up, bridal style and carried me to the bed. I laughed as he put me down, and he smiled as he climbed in next to me.

His hand rests on my stomach before again beginning to circle the skin there. And tonight, when his hand goes higher, up around my ribs, I don't think of anything bad. When his thumb grazes just under the fabric of my top, not touching anything, just a light graze, I don't go stiff and push his hand away. He slides his hand a bit higher, this time I can feel him lightly brush the bottom of my breasts. I don't stop him, but he seems to know that there is only so much he can do before I'll get scared, and knows he's reached his limit. So his hand rests higher that night as we try to fall off to sleep.

"You let me touch you." It's not exactly a question, more of a statement and a question in one.

"I trust you." It's the answer I've given him before, one we both like. So we settle down, him kissing my hair and whispering sweet little nothings into my ear as I drift off to sleep in his arms.

Another day spent on a train in boredom. Cato and I cuddle in his room and watch TV, flipping through channel after channel. We watch commercials, which seems to fill some of the time. I wish I could call my family back home, but Wynn has said that because of the grain fields I can't. Eventually I end of lying on the couch, my head in Cato's lap as he strokes my hair, us asking each other random questions.

"What's your favourite colour?"

"Green, just like the colour of your eyes." I blush and smile before continuing.

"What's your favourite food?"

"No doubt about it, my mother's homemade apple bread. It's the best thing in the world, and I can prove it." We both smile.

"What's your favourite animal?"

"A lion," I quirk my eyebrows at him, so he explains. "They were the kings of the jungle back in the day, the most important, and some of the most ferocious hunters."

"Okay, if you could have one superpower, what would it be?"

This one makes him think, and I grin as he contemplates his answer. He smiles as he comes up with it.

"Seeming as I'm already disarmingly handsome, brilliantly smart, and amazingly strong, along with a wonderful dose of charisma and charm, I suppose I would want more patience. I have a hard time waiting sometimes, and I can test boundaries that can get a little shaky." I know in part he's talking about me, about us. And I like that that's what he wants. I nod, and he smiles at me.

I feel his hands on my waist, pulling me up so he can kiss me. He wraps his arms around my back, pulling me close. I put my hands under me, pushing me up so I'm sitting on his lap before I wrap my arms around his neck. I feel his tongue graze my lips, and I open them, just a little. I've never French kissed anyone before, so I'm just going off of what I've read in books. One of his hands goes to the small of my back, the other to my hips, pulling me up, smashing our lips closer together. I feel his tongue slip into my mouth and it's weird at first, but I like it too. It's almost like he's...tasting me.

By the time we're done kissing, I know what they mean by a breathless kiss. We're both gasping, me more so than him. His hands are supporting me this time, and I'm still in his lap. I glance up at him, and he just smiles before planting his lips on mine again. This goes on for several minutes, perhaps more, I've lost track. After a few more kisses, both of us slowly getting drunk off each other, I feel his hand on my butt. He's...feeling me up. I feel his hand run down and hook on my thigh, and he just keeps doing that for a few minutes. When we're both truly out of breath, we stop. His hands are back on my waist, as if what he did never happened.

But I peer up at him as I catch my breath, wondering if he'll deny it if I ask. So I do, hoping he won't get angrey, and hoping he won't deny it.

"You felt me up." He looks at me and nods, and I can tell he's hoping he didn't cross a line. I smile at him and get off his lap. If Wynn found me like this, he'd kill me. Just because we had won didn't mean anything, Career's had no emotion, ever.

_Cato Point of View_

I've gotten something from her now. I didn't think she'd let me touch her like that last night in bed, and I didn't think she'd let me stick my tongue in her mouth, either. But she did, and I could tell we both liked it.

That night in bed, I come to her, and I try it again, running my hand up under her top. She lets me get even higher this time. Pretty soon, things will be happening, and I think we'll both enjoy them. She sighs into my touch, but when I try to go even higher I feel her hand on my wrist, pulling it away, and I can see her shake her head in the dark. _No,_ she's saying with her eyes, _no, not that far, not yet._ I understand, and I can be patient. So I just smile and lean down to kiss her. But tonight I don't slip my tongue in her mouth, not so soon after her rejection and not in the darkness that frightens her so.

"Please don't try anything." She's peering up at me, scared, worried. I sigh and rub her cheek with my thumb, smiling gently.

"I won't, not unless you want to." Then I say what I've been meaning to. "I want you, Glimmer, I really do. But I'll wait, I promise. I'll wait until you give me the okay."

She nods slowly, cuddles into my chest, and gets comfortable. I can tell she wants to ask my something, I just don't know what. So I wait.

"Are we...in a relationship? Or is this just...something else?" I smile at her, bending a little to kiss her nose. But she plants her lips on mine, wrapping an arm around my neck and pulling me closer. Her tongue grazes my lips, and soon I'm almost on top of her, our mouths plastered together. Mistakenly, I put my knee between her legs, not to push them apart, just to put my weight on. Still, she stiffened a little, putting her hands on my chest, pushing me up slightly.

"Not..." she gasped slightly, out of breath from our making-out. "Not yet." So I move so that I have an arm around her waist, rubbing her ribs, me next to her. She smiles again, and I'm amazed that she's bounced back so fast. Still, she puts her hands back on my chest and curls into me, and I wrap my arms around her back. We sleep like that, her breath hitting my chest, my head on her hair. It's like if we can hold on to each other, we'll never have to let go.

We're in District 9 now, almost to the end. It took a few days, but we're finally here. The grain fields are beautiful, and Glimmer is up once more, early, to watch the sunrise on this new landscape. It's rare when we get to travel, especially so much, and we're finally starting to enjoy it. It's surprisingly pretty- the fields in bathed in golden light, the sun rising, blocked only by a tree here or there as we race through the landscape.

Again, though, there are the fake cheers and our bored waves, the tedium greatly overtaking this. It used to be such a thrill, but now, after doing this for so long, we're bored of it. Our nights together are much more interesting.

This night is spent locked in each other's arms, whispering stories about our pasts, our secrets, things we've wanted to say but are too scared to, so we whisper it to each other in the darkness. The most surprising confession, though, comes from here.

I'm holding her, when she takes a breath and blurts out in a whisper something I can hardly believe.

"You didn't meet my real family." I stare down at her suddenly, my eyes going wide with shock. But...she looks like them, they clearly love her dearly. What is she saying?

"Glimmer, what on earth are you talking about?" She takes a shaky breath, and I realize that what she is about to say I am never, ever, to repeat, no matter what.

"My biological family...my mother died giving birth to twins, a boy and a girl. After that, my father went mad. He...turned to alcohol. He was never a victor, no one in my biological family ever was. We lived in the middle-class part of town, both of my parents worked in factories. But after what happened with him...one day I came home, I was 11, and he was so drunk he could barely stand up straight. But I came in from school, with a letter about going to train at the Academy we had across town. When I showed it to him, he went wild. He took a lamp from the side table and...hurled it at me. I dodged it, but then he came after me." She sniffled into my shirt, and I rub her back soothingly. "I went to bed black and blue that night, and woke up with stiff and sore limbs. I told everyone that I had gotten in a fight with an 18 year old, and enough people believed me. But my teacher didn't, and without even asking, she said I was never to go home again. So I didn't, and they relocated me with my family."

I can hardly believe her. What type of father would beat his child? And if he had beaten her... I had thought Thresh was first, but now, I wasn't so sure. Gently, I lifted her chin to look at me.

"Please tell me that he never..." She shook her head, and I sighed, relieved. Thank the Lord he wasn't that kind of father. I had known others who weren't so lucky.

"No, he never did...that. Who would do that to an 11 year old?" I laughed cruelly, holding her tighter against me chest.

"Oh, you have no idea. A girl in my training academy back in 2, she was 12. The older boys, most of them 17 or 18 in a pack of five or six, cornered her when we were all going back to our sleeping dorms. They put her up against a wall. I tried to help her, but one of the guys who was younger, probably about 16, held me back. I was 13; I couldn't fight him, as hard as I tried. Trust me, people will do unimaginable things."

Her eyes were wide, scared at the very possibility. But I held her close and kissed the top of her head, whispering sweet, calming things in her ear to sooth her to sleep. Luckily it worked, and soon she was breathing deeply in my arms.

As slowly as it had taken to arrive at 9, we were gone quickly and in 10. The place was for livestock, and it wasn't near as pretty as the others we had gone through. In fact, it smelled a little, and I was grateful to board the train and be whisked away as soon as possible. It seemed neither of our guardians could stand it, and being from the Capitol, I can see why.

That night as we got on the train, Wynn pulled her aside. I didn't know why, but I stayed in my room, waiting for her. She didn't come. Perhaps she didn't want me to come, but I knew it would be best if I let her come to me when she was ready. For the first time in weeks, I fell asleep with empty arms.


	9. Chapter 9

_Glimmer Point of View_

The news is awful. Wynn pulled me aside as we boarded the train, saying there was a message for me in a sealed envelope from the Capitol. I took it to my room to read, shaking as I tore the seal. My eyes barely processed the message before I collapsed on my bed, crying uncontrollably. It was true; the horrid nightmare that Cato had was true. They were selling me, had already sold me, in fact. At least they told me who the winner was. I swallowed in fear. It was the Gamemaker. When we got back to the Capitol, I would go that night. The fear, the horrid possibilities of what might happen, flooded my mind, and I cried myself to sleep, horribly alone. I couldn't go to Cato, not tonight. And I knew by now he probably wouldn't come to me.

We were in 11 the next morning, and I didn't look at Cato while we forced smiles to the forced cheers. As soon as we were back on the train, Cato came to my room. I was on the bed in tears.

"Glimmer, sweetheart, what's wrong?" He put his hands on my shoulders, sitting down behind me. But I shook my head and pulled away. I pointed at the door as I stood up.

"Just go. Now." He looked confused, maybe even a little hurt, but he went. I spent the night alone once more, and both Cato and I were lifeless by the time we went to 12. This was truly the worst District. Everything seemed to be covered in coal dust, and the people were pale and skinny. A young mother with a pretty blonde girl stood with another family in the back. All were crying but the mother, who simply stared at us in stony, rock silence. She must have been the mother of one of the tributes, the other the family of the other one. They were the only ones who didn't at least try to hold in their tears, and the Peacekeepers did nothing.

As we boarded the train, I smiled a little at Cato and asked for him to come to my room that night, like we had just a few days before. He smiled back and nodded. My heart hammered inside my chest, because I knew, I knew what tonight would hold.

Cato opened the door and slipped in, turned around as he closed it. When he saw me, he froze, eyes wide. I had no clothes on. I just stood next to my dresser, not clothes on, heart thumping. Slowly, he came closer, staring at me, confusion mixing with quickly growing desire. He lifted his hand but stopped himself. He licked his lips and stared at me, relishing me under his gaze.

"Go lie down on the bed." I smiled nervously at him and did what he wanted. As soon as I was settled, he already had his clothes off and was climbing on top of me, lips on my pulse, hands on my sides. He was so fast, too fast. It was skin against skin, I could feel all of him, and it scared me. He noticed, too. Slowly, he leaned back, peering at my face as I opened my eyes.

"Why are you doing this Glimmer?" Tears filled my eyes as I looked up at him.

"Because they sold me! As soon as we get to the Capitol, I have to go to the Gamemaker that night, because...he was the top bidder. And I can't, I can't just let him do that to me. If someone has to be my first...I want you."

He stared at me in shock, before gently kissing my lips. I felt his hands on my hips, feeling his breath against my skin.

"I'll be gentle, sweetheart, I'll be as gentle as I can. If anything hurts, let me know." I nodded, his lips beginning to entice me. I knew it would hurt some, and it did, but he was very gentle, as promised. And it was, out of all our nights together, the one where I felt the most loved.

I woke up the next morning with Cato's arm around my waist. Neither of us had clothes on, and I had woken before him. Slowly, I turned over, looking at his face, so peaceful while he was asleep. I smiled at him, leaning up and kissing his lips gently. He opened his eyes, looking down at me with a smile on his lips. His arm wrapped tighter around my waist as he pulled me close for another kiss.

My chest brushed his, and I almost jumped back, feeling awkward. Gently pulling out of his arms, he looked at me in confusion. A blush coloured my cheeks as I sat up, wrapping the sheets around me. He put a hand on my shoulder.

"What's wrong honey? Did I...hurt you last night?" By the way he hesitates; I know he fears the answer. But I turn to him, putting a hand on his cheek.

"Everything's fine, it's just... I don't have any clothes on." He laughs, kissing my hair, my ear, my cheek, and finally my lips before talking.

"Sweetheart, I saw plenty of you last night. Don't be embarrassed just because the sun is out. If anything, it makes you look more beautiful."

I blushed again, and I felt him gently starting to pull the sheet from me. I let him, though my breath hitched when my bare body hit cold air. He just looked for a moment before wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me back in the bed.

I was under him again, his lips on my neck. I laughed, then moaned. He was much too talented at this. Gently though, I pushed him off of me, still giggling slightly.

"Not this morning. I'm...I'm still a little sore." He smiled a little and nodded, getting up and picking his clothes off the floor. Before he pulled them on, I went to him and took his hand, a grin on my face.

"You don't have to go right now. I'm just going to get in the shower really fast. You can stay for a bit." He nodded and kissed me as I went into the bathroom. I hadn't been in the shower five minutes when I heard the door open and he hopped in next to me. I bit my lip as he smiled and kissed me, whispering in my ear.

"I thought you might need a little help, since you're 'still a little sore'." He pressed me up against the wall, and I laughed, his lips on mine, but again I pushed him away. He gave me a puppy dog face, and I giggled a bit, running my fingers through his hair like he usually did with me.

"Sorry, but I really am. Not now." Still looking comically sad, he left me in the shower, my heart beating, my skin still hot where his hands had been.

_Cato Point of View_

She let me have her last night. I didn't think she would, not so soon. But I know why. How on earth could the Capitol sell her, and to the Gamemaker for crying out loud!

Maybe she didn't even want me. Maybe all she wanted-needed- was someone to loosen her up before the Capitol got a hold of her. But I didn't think she'd do that, especially not to me. She knows my emotions; we know each other's emotions. She wouldn't play with me like this.

But why would she keep on denying me? True, I wouldn't exactly know. I had never actually screwed the same girl twice. Oh well, I'm sure everything was fine. I hope.

The next night, she came to me. Demure, but as soon as she sat down I had my hands on her. I could feel her heart beating as I pulled her clothes off. She laughed, and then moaned as I ran my hands over her skin. I took her again, just as gentle as last time, only this time, she came with me. I collapsed on top of her, supporting myself just above her body, my head at her shoulder, her panting with me, her breath on my chest. I rolled off next to her, my feet tangling in the sheets, as I pulled her beside me.

"Wow..." was all she said, and I grinned, chuckling slightly as I kissed her on the cheek, pulling the sheets up to cover us. Sweating and panting, I brought up what I had thought of earlier in the day.

"Why did you keep denying me this morning? Were you actually sore, or...was it something else?" The idea seemed ridiculous now, now that I had had her again without protest. But she looked at me with slightly glazed eyes.

"I really was. I mean, I'd only been taken once, and you...stretched a little bit. Don't be upset." She smiled, and I kissed her, our gasping beginning to subside as we fell asleep.

I woke up before her the next morning, both of us still without clothes on. Hoping I didn't wake her, I studied the beauty in my arms.

Her skin glowed. Don't get me wrong, it was always smooth, warm, and flawless. But now, with the sun beginning to break through the horizon, it bathed her in golden light and made her glow like an angel. I knew her eyes would sparkle green in the sunlight when she opened them, and her light lashes protected her eyes gently. Her hair was rumpled and tangled from sleep, but even that looked graceful as it tumbled around her face and down her neck, spreading around her shoulders. Her breathing was steady, her chest rising and falling. I put my hand on her belly, rubbing the warm skin there lightly. This girl was all mine.

And then I remembered what the Capitol had done. How the Gamemaker, the man, the _animal_, who I had no word to describe, would take her from me. He must have been at least 30, if not older. How, why, would he do that to a 16 year old? It was wrong, disgusting. But I had no choice. Maybe they would only do it once. It was rare, but maybe, just maybe, they'd only hurt her once, and then I'd be able to hold her and sooth her tears away. She didn't deserve a future like that, she deserved a future with a boy that loved her and cared for her, who would hold her at night and understand her tears. A boy like me, a man like me. I just hope that we would both be so fortunate as to see and have each other again. We had six more days with each other. Hopefully six days would be enough. Enough for what, I didn't know.


	10. Chapter 10

_Glimmer Point of View_

Six days flew by fast. Every night, Cato and I had each other, and sometimes even the morning after too. One night he had his tongue on me, and once I had mine on him. Another night he turned me over and gently, carefully, took me from behind. It was the only virginity I had left, and I was happy to give it to him before the Gamemaker got me. By the time we got back to the Capitol, Cato had done a lot with me in bed, and I found myself scared but prepared, confident that the Gamemaker couldn't pull a fast one on me in bed.

Still, the night I was supposed to go to this man, I cried in Cato's arms before the Peacekeepers came for me. I was terrified. I didn't want to do this, I really didn't. But I had no other choice. So after a few minutes I forced myself to stop crying and I smiled up at him before he placed a gentle kiss to my lips. He tried to smile as they led me away, but we were both scared.

The Gamemaker was waiting for me. As soon as they shut the door, he stood up and came over to me, circling me like he was a hawk and I was the prey. And in all ways, I was. I felt his hand on my shoulder, and my breath got quicker and shallower. He pushed my shirt off of my shoulder, his lips on the exposed skin. I moved away from him, but he just darted back in. Quickly, he pulled my clothing off, and I shivered whenever his cold hands touched my skin, trying again to push him away, more forceful this time. This was nothing like Cato. He had been soft, gentle, loving, and sweet. But no, this was brutal. He pushed me down on the bed, hovering above me with his strange beard and a leer on his face. Before he took me, I tried to plead my case as I pushed up against him, trying to escape.

"Please don't. I'm just a kid, really, please. I know it'll hurt, please, don't." But I felt him thrust, hard. And even though Cato had gotten me so many times, this quick, abrupt shock of pain shot up threw me, and I cried out, clawing at him.

"No, no, don't! Please, it hurts, please stop, please!" But he didn't, and I sobbed under him, wishing that it was Cato instead of this man that I only knew as the Gamemaker. I still tried to fight him, very forcefully despite the pain. So much so, that he actually tied me to the bed to have his way with me. Once he came, collapsing on top of me, he finally noticed I was crying. He did nothing to comfort me, though. He simply went to grab some new clothes before calling the Peacekeepers to take me away after I was untied, barely dressed before they entered the room.

They threw me back in the penthouse we had stayed in before the Games. I remembered where the bedrooms were, and I slowly and painfully walked to Cato's room, opening the door, as was our custom, without knocking. As soon as he saw me, he jumped form the bed and rushed to me as I collapsed into his arms. He helped me to the bed, lying down with me on his chest as I spilled what had happened.

Once I was done, he just pulled me close and rubbed my back. I could tell he was angrey, furious, but right now he knew I needed comfort. So I fell asleep in his arms, him rubbing my back and whispering sweet nothings in my ear.

I woke the next morning to Cato's arms around me, sunlight filtering through the window. I smiled lazily, but as I shifted, dull pain ached through my hips, and I stopped suddenly. He heard me stir beside him, opening his eyes to see me wince in discomfort.

"Are you alright sweetheart?" I smiled bravely and nodded a little before my sheepish reply.

"I'm just...still sore from..." He nodded and eased himself out of the bed, going to the bathroom where I could hear him turn on the water for a shower. I took is as my cue to leave, and went to my own room.

Right after breakfast, Wynn called me to the living area, where President Snow and two Peacekeepers sat. I gulped and sat down when they gestured for me to, telling Wynn to leave. I sat before them nervously, had I done something?

"You fought the Gamemaker awfully hard last night, or he said." I couldn't tell if the man was accusing me, stating it, or wanted me to confirm it. I lowered my head and nodded, hearing him sigh and get up.

"This won't happen again." The Peacekeepers looked as if they were about to leave, but I stood up, getting angrey. The President turned around as he heard my voice.

"How can you expect me not to fight a man that I don't want to be with? You know what happened during the Games, how can you expect me not to fight anyone after that?" My voice was escalating, but he seemed calm as he reproached me.

"My dear, I think you misunderstood. What I mean is that no one will bet on you again. Silvius said you weren't worth near the money that he placed on you, between the clawing and the having to tie you down."

I blushed as he detailed what had to be done to keep me on the bed, but then my head shot up. He knew. I stared at him for a moment before he laughed cruelly at my surprise.

"Of course I know. _I watched_, just as I watched _all_ the footage from the Games." I took a deep breath as he smiled and left. Yet another man had watched someone take advantage of me.

_Cato Point of View_

I was relieved when I heard the news about Glimmer. They had made a mistake in selling her at all, but at least they wouldn't do it again. I held her under the covers that night, both of us warm. We'd be heading to our new home tomorrow. It was supposed to be as elegant as anything in the Victor's Villages back home, two stories and made of stone. I hoped it had a garden, so that when my mother visited, perhaps she could influence the place with her green thumb, making the place alive with beauty.

But tonight I held another beauty in my arms. She was on my chest, lying on top of me, and I simply rubbed her back. Though her chest was pressed against mine, and I wanted her greatly, I knew not to, at least until she said so. Meaning I just held her, until I realized she had fallen asleep. I was almost asleep myself when I felt her begin to move, and looking at her face, she seemed troubled.

She was crying, begging for someone to stop, so I shifted her off of me and shook her awake. Her eyes darted open, searching the room before landing on me right in front of her. She snuggled into me, practically winding herself around me like ivy.

"It's alright, Glimmer, everything is okay, I promise. You're fine, I'm here, everything is okay sweetheart. No one will ever hurt you again."

She nodded, sniffling, before asking the most random question.

"Who will ever want to marry me? I mean, I'm broken, I'm-" I cut her off before she could finish her much unexpected question and sentence.

"You're not broken, Glimmer, you're just scarred, that all. And scars, though they always show, will get better and not hurt anymore, it just takes a while. Don't cry sweetheart, everything's okay." She looked up at me, her eyes shiny in the dark.

"But really, Cato, who's ever going to want to marry me when everybody knows they've sold me? Everybody back home wants pretty little perfect things, and I'm not that anymore."

"By no fault of your own. It's okay, sweetheart, everything will turn out alright. You're sixteen; you don't need to be worrying about getting married yet. Just wait, the perfect man will come along one day and love you no matter what. He won't care about your past. He'll just love you just the way you are." She snuggled closer into me, yawning.

"They'll never be another guy like you, Cato." I sighed, kissing the top of her head. My hand was on her side, and when she shifted, it ended up on her belly, and a thought jumped in my head.

"Glimmer, when the Gamemaker and you...did he, use anything, to stop you...from getting...pregnant?" Her head shot upward, her eyes meeting mine before sitting straight up in the bed.

"Oh no, he didn't, what if...what it..." She put her hand on her flat belly, concerned and afraid. I wrapped my arms around her again.

"Everything will be fine, sweetheart, I'm sure. We'll talk to Wynn in the morning." Nodding, she put her head on my shoulder. However, she wasn't one to fall asleep so easily anymore. So I pulled her close and began to sing a song my mother had sung to me when I couldn't fall asleep. I wasn't the best singer, but this song didn't require a lot of skill. It was the name of all the flowers we'd had in our garden. Slowly, she slipped to sleep, and I did too.

I talked to Wynn the next morning, and everything, he assured me, would turn out okay. The Gamemaker had used some sort of protection, she wouldn't have his child. Nodding, I was still upset that they'd sold her at all. But it was out of my hands now.

Glimmer and I just packed that morning. We hadn't brought a lot, except for some clothes and a few personal items. She had a framed photo of her whole family, I had a picture of my mother in the garden.

The new place was about the same as that of the Victor's Village back home. There were two buildings which looked exactly alike: gray stone, two stories, small backyard. Each had four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a dining room. Glimmer and I smiled at each other before going into our separate homes. There was a narrow yard separating them, but we could talk from the two windows on the top floor.

My place was already furnished, and I had asked for furniture from the Districts, just like Glimmer. They had looked at us funny, but they had done as we'd asked. It looked normal, not like a frilly Capitol house would. There was food in the cupboards; the beds were all made neatly with extra sheets and blankets in the closets. Everything we could need was there.

Sitting in an empty bedroom, I felt strangely alone. Normally, I was okay with little to no company. I wasn't exactly a loner, but I liked my space. But now, I was so used to Glimmer by my side at all times, it felt weird not to have her close. I explored a little bit, unpacked the few things I had. Going down to the kitchen to get a snack, I found something interesting.

There was a phone on the wall. Quickly, I grabbed it and dialed my family's number. It rang, and I waited with baited breath. Finally, a voice on the other end.

"Hello?" I would have recognized that voice anywhere. Sweet, young, innocent, but firm in a way, not exactly proud, but a little defensive.

"Brena, is that you? It's Cato." There was an excited squeal on the other end, and I beamed. That was my little sister, defiantly. I heard her shout for Mom and Dad, and a then a scampering to the phone by all of them.

"Cato sweetheart, is that you?" It was my mother. Even at eighteen, she still called me little nicknames. I rolled my eyes, smiled, and answering in the affirmative. She took a breath and handed the phone to my dad.

"Son, how are you, where are you?" He had always been the speaker of the family, and I had inherited that from him.

"We just got to my new house in the Capitol. It's really great, Dad, two stories, stone, a backyard, everything. You guys should come visit sometime. Maybe Mom could plant some flowers or something, and there's coffee and all."

"Where's Glimmer?" Somehow the phone had been transferred back to Brena, and I laughed a little. I knew my parents liked her, and I was happy she did too.

"She's got a house just like mine right next door. Don't worry, she's not going anywhere." I smiled even though she couldn't see me.

"Do you love her?" I took in a breath. Bless my dear little sister's heart, she asked the question with such innocence.

Then I thought about it some more. Did I? I _thought _I did, but how did I even know? Love wasn't something I was very used to. Emotions weren't good, they betrayed you, and I had heard that growing up from my mentors preparing me for the Games. Now, though, emotions were helping keeping me alive. I thought about it a few seconds more.

"Yes Brena, if you must know, I do." There was a pounding in my chest, which didn't go away for the remainder of the conversation. Hanging up the phone, I nearly jumped out of my skin when someone suddenly covered my eyes.

"Guess who?" It was a voice I knew well, with the hint of laughter in it. I smiled and wiped her hands form my eyes, swung around and planted my lips to hers. She laughed, breaking the kiss with a grin. I grinned back down at her, my arms around her waist, hers around my shoulders.

"Was that true?" I quirked an eyebrow at her, and she cleared it up very bluntly. "You said you loved me." I had never said it to her, even after that night on the train, during all those nights together, I'd never said I loved her. But now I nodded, gauging her reaction. The biggest, brightest smile I'd ever seen broke across her face, and she threw herself into my arms. We just stayed like that for a little while, embracing in the kitchen. And then she put her mouth close to my ear and whispered what I knew she would say back.

"I love you too."


	11. Chapter 11

~_Glimmer Point of View_

I spent the night with him again. Even though they gave us each beautiful new houses, it didn't seem right to not be with him.

We each moved in slowly. My family visited, and his did too. Eventually, I got enough clothes to fill up my drawers, even though I could never wear all that stuff. Family pictures were hung in the stairwells; paintings were hung on the walls. But every night, he either came to me or I went to him. However, when our family's visited, we slept alone. It wouldn't have been right, or appropriate. I know my mother would not have approved, and I doubt his father would. Besides, it wouldn't have been a good example for Brena or Jarius.

I turned seventeen. My parents came and spent a week here. Cato was there for a cake and presents. Mom and Dad got me a beautiful dress, deep purple; Jarius got me a book, but Cato's was the best. It was a pair of diamond earrings. They sparkled in the lights when I opened them, and Mom gasped in surprise. Jarius snorted, and we laughed as I gave him a big hug and very sincere thanks.

He turned nineteen. His family came to visit, and we had a party for him too. His parents got him a new suit, his little sister a tie, and I got him a silver plated wristwatch. I could tell his parents knew there was something much more than close friendship. After that conversation with his mother so long ago, I knew she at least knew we were together as a couple. We went for a stroll that night in the garden his mom had planted. While my backyard had a pond and was full of weeping willows with stone paths, his was blooming with colour all year around. We walked hand in hand through the oasis of flowers, the breeze blowing my hair gently. He stopped near the fountains, pulling me close to him. The sun was setting, and it reflecting in the water, turning it pink and orange. He kissed me gently before pulling something from his pocket and slowly lowering down to one knee. Opening a velveteen box, a brilliant ring sparkled in the dimming light. It was a clear cut diamond, glimmering with bright colours from the setting sun. Taking my left hand in his, tears rushed into my eyes.

"Glimmer, will you marry me? You are the most amazing, breathtaking, gorgeous girl in the entire universe, and you're the only one for me. Please say you'll be mine." I nodded, a hand on my mouth, and threw myself in his arms before he could get up. I had worn my new purple dress and diamond earrings, and he had changed into the suit that his parents had gotten him. Tears fell slowly down my cheeks, but they were happy tears. He kissed me tenderly before slipping the ring on to my finger. It was a perfect fit. We stayed on the cobblestoned path, me almost sitting in his lap, his arms around my back.

"Yes, yes, of course I'll marry you." It was the only thing I could think to say, and I kept repeating it in a whisper as he rained kisses on my cheeks. I put my head on his shoulder, and his hands began to rub my back. All of a sudden, there was a small squeal from behind an azalea bush, and we both looked up. Brena was standing there, peeking around the bush, and Cato smiled when he saw her, and gestured for her to come closer. She shot into his arms, and I slid to the ground next to him while he stood up and swung her up, making her squeal again. His parents appeared on the back porch, and smiling, came down. His mother winked at me, letting me know that she had been in on it, and greatly approved of it.

I called my parents that night. Mom got choked up, and Dad insisted that I give him Cato's number so he could call him. I obliged with a laugh. In the background, I could hear Jarius exclaim in surprise when they told him the news. "She's getting married, yuck!" I grinned. He'd come around one day, when he realized girls and marriage and the whole nine yards was okay. I was surprised that they weren't against the whole idea. I mean, I had just turned seventeen, and he was only nineteen. Most girls in 1 didn't get married until their 20's. I questioned my mom about it.

"Sweetheart, we knew you two were going to get married ever since you brought him to dinner. I would normally think that it is a bit young, but you're not a child anymore. Your dad and I are so proud of you, and we love you both. Cato is the best boy in the world for you, and we all know it. So, although your dad sounded stern, he's just as happy as I am."

I grinned brightly, and promised that they would defiantly come and visit for the wedding. I knew Mom would want to start planning soon, as we would. It was spring, and I wanted a summer wedding, with warm waters and blazing sunsets. Hopefully, if we began soon, then we could get something organized by the end of summer. It would be wonderful, magical.

When the Capitol found out about it, they were, of course, thrilled. We were the two victors, desperately in love, and had finally made the closing move: marriage. It was full of propaganda, and I knew we'd get calls from companies trying to get a camera into the wedding. Each and every person was vehemently denied, and that caused more problems. Both of our families talked, and we decided on something. First, we'd get married in one, since that was my home District, and Cato's parents were okay with that. Then we'd stage one for the Capitol. Our first would be simple but elegant, beautiful. Our second would be big and pompous, just like the Capitol people liked.

It was such a rush, all this planning. Morning to night, detail after detail had to be discussed, mainly for the wedding here. We planned the first one first, and it had been delightful to talk about. It would be my real wedding. The second was getting more and more stressful, though. Flowers, china, cakes, music, who did I want to invite and who did I have to invite, it was so much to do and so little time. Cato sat in on a lot of the meetings, rubbing my shoulders when I sighed in frustration, and putting input into the guest list especially. Unfortunately, the President would have to come, we couldn't snub him. However, the Gamemaker would not be invited. No matter what, there was no way he was coming, not after what happened. I had made a few friends here, as had Cato and we invited them and their families, our stylists and their friends and families. It was a huge venue, and we had to fill it up.

People were thrilled to get invitations. It was like we were hosting the most popular party and you were only important if you got an invitation. Strangers in the street knew who we were and asked about the wedding, making us smile awkwardly and give away something unimportant. They'd latch on to it, and that night it would be on the news.

Through all of this, I made a strange reality. The dream of every child in District 1 was to win the Games. You'd be rich and famous, never to be looked over in a crowd again. But now that I had fulfilled that dream, it wasn't as good as I thought. This was the plan for everyone in the Career District, but now that I'd actually grasped it, well, what was I supposed to do now? Cato, I learned one night, had the same problem.

"Honey, does it sometimes seem like, we don't exactly have a purpose anymore?" I stated the question one night as he climbed in bed beside me. He thought for a minute, and I think he realized it in that moment. Wrapping an arm around my waist and kissing my cheek, he answered me.

"You know I think you're right. I never realized it. We were born and bred for this, but they never tell us what to actually do when we achieve the impossible. It's like they just except you to know what to do. I don't know about you, but I kind of stumbled through this. You were pretty graceful, though, until we both found our footing." He chuckled and put his lips to my forehead, and I leaned into him.

"I wasn't that graceful, I was as clueless as anyone. I guess that's what our mentors are for." Smiling, I settled into his side, his arms around my back. He quickly drifted to sleep, and my thoughts turned back to my wedding, the real one. Tomorrow I was going to get fitted for the Capitol one, but I'd already chosen my real one. Hopefully Cato would like it. White could wash me out, but I'd added a dap of colour, and I'd make sure to put enough makeup on to give me some good colour in my face. Plus I was sure to be the classic blushing bride, and with lipstick, I'd look fine. A smile caressed my lips as I drifted into a dream.


	12. Chapter 12: The End

~_Cato Point of View_

As crazy as it sounded, I couldn't wait to get married. Usually it was the girls that couldn't wait, and they would plan like crazy. But to be honest, I was as thrilled as Glimmer was. To be able to call her my wife- mine forever and a day, would be the best thing that ever happened to me.

When I told Glimmer that, her whole face lit up and she kissed me on the lips. Then I was rushed into the planning room. Now I wasn't permitted to see the dress for either wedding, but I was supposed to help with bridesmaid and especially the flower girl dress for Brena. I flipped through tons of different designs, trying to pick a good design for my little sister that would fit the design of the Capitol wedding. Finally, I found one that would be perfect. It had a skirt with what looked like petals on it, which reminded me of the time we had snuck out past the fence together one morning at sunrise. It was beautiful, and we'd found a meadow full of pure white blossoms, bathed in beautiful new-morning colours. We'd gone back several times, each time seeming more amazing than the last. I smiled and pushed the picture over to Glimmer and her mother. They both smiled at it, and Glimmer came over and kissed me.

"It's perfect Cato. There's a dress that matches that, even though it's a little different. Now we'll match! Brena will love it. She's going to look like a princess." I smiled and kissed her back. There was a reason I loved my fiancé, and this was one of them, how nice and sweet she could be, even though she was under a lot of stress with choosing and planning and such.

I slipped an arm around her that night, kissing her neck with a smile. She sighed and turned over, running her fingers through my hair.

"Thank you for being so nice and understanding through all of this. It couldn't be easy having to deal with me."

"It's not that hard sweetheart. I'm as excited as you are to get married, I'll just be happier when both weddings are over and we can be happy as man and wife." A grin spread across her face as I said that, and we both felt happier when our first night together in forever was over.

_Glimmer Point of View_

My first wedding was finally here. We'd slipped out of the Capitol that night, taking a private air train and arriving in One was the sun began to rise. Cato kissed me goodbye and made his way up the stairs to his own bedroom while I got ready. My dress and accessories were already in the room, and my Mom was soon there, helping me get the dress on and pinning blue flowers in my hair, which would be my 'something blue'. My 'something new' was a diamond bracelet which matched the waistband of my dress, and my 'something borrowed' was the veil, which Mom wore on her wedding day.

Mom had said she would take care of my 'something old', so I had trusted her to find something. And wow, did she. It was a pair of diamond earrings that had been my grandmothers. And not my adopted family's grandmother, my _biologica_l grandmother. My parents had gone and talked to my father, explained, and although he was still drunk and didn't care, he had no use for them and handed them over. I smiled sweetly at the thought of my granny, a woman I never knew, wearing these, perhaps on her wedding day or receiving them from her mother as an engagement gift. It was magical, amazing.

Brena spun into the room as Mom continued to help me, followed by Cato's mother. She commented about how lovely I looked, and then began to help Brena into her dress. Brena had picked out a satin, light blue version of my dress, only in miniature, and it matched as a lighter shade of the flowers in my hair, which was curled and pinned up below my gauzy veil.

I had one bridesmaid, my best friend from childhood, a girl named Lenia. She had rich red hair and brown eyes, and would be wearing a shin-length dress in light blue and carrying white roses. The backyard had been designed by both of our mom's, Cato's mother picking out plants and flowers, my Mom picking out stone pathways, a fountain, and trees. They'd transformed our small strip of land from grass to a beautiful paradise, and then they'd hung a gauze and chiffon tent over where we'd say our vows and the guests would sit. It was as if this had all leapt out of a fairy tale that I heard children had read a long time ago.

Once we were all ready, I waited nervously for the music to begin to signal my walk down the aisle. As my breathing and heart-rate increased, Brena spoke next to me.

"You look beautiful Glimmer." I smiled at her, and then the music began and my sweet little flower girl and lovely bridesmaid set off, with me following a few moments later.

I'd never seen such a look of shock on Cato's face when I entered the tent. He went from a breathtakingly handsome smile to his jaw on the floor, eyes bugging out of his head. I smiled pointedly, and he got the message, closing his mouth. Once I was at the altar, he looked me up and down, still in shock.

"You always look beautiful, Glim, but today, today you look completely and utterly breathtakingly gorgeous." I ducked my head and grinned as the priest began. It seemed to take far too long for him to get through his monologue, and I barely heard any of it. Cato recited his vows first, and then I recited mine. Finally, at long last, the priest spoke those magic words.

"You may now kiss the bride." He leaned and kissed me with such gentleness, but I felt like I exploded; there was so much love in that simple movement. We went off to the reception, and everyone enjoyed the cake and fruit. Brena ran up, but instead of wanting Cato to swing her up in the air, she hugged my waist tightly.

"You're my sister now!" Then she took my hands and danced around, my new husband joining us shortly. My mind reeled happily at the word 'husband'.

_ Cato Point of View, Two Years Later_

I came into the bedroom after a shower one night, and my wife was lying in bed, her hands folded on top of the sheets, a far-off look on her face, very un-Glimmer-like. I sat down on the bed gently, looking at her.

"Glim honey, is something wrong?" She snapped out of her revere, and met my eyes, beginning to roll the sheets through her fingers.

"I...I don't really know. When was the last time we slept together?" I thought about it, trying to get through the fog of 'why is she asking and why is it important'. My mind tried to figure out the answer to her concerned question.

"I'm not sure. We were in Two for a week visiting my parents, and we stopped in One on the way back for several days, so it was probably about two weeks ago." I let out a low whistle. "Has it really been that long?" She nodded slowly, still looking worried. "Why does it matter?"

She bit her lip nervously, and I scooted over to her, putting a hand on her knee, waiting for her to talk. "I...I think I'm pregnant." Her wide eyes met mine, and I realized both of our faces must have been in shock. Not upset shock. We both wanted children one day, and we'd known that for years. But still, we never actually had agreed to try for a baby. This was unexpected, but still great.

"That's wonderful sweetheart! Why are you so worried?" She twisted the sheets again, and I wondered if she should talk to a woman, not me, about this,

"I...I can't get that thought about the crying mother from the Districts about three years ago. Can they still reap our children even though we're in the Capitol?" Her eyes were brimming with tears, and I folded her in my arms lovingly.

"I looked in to that right after we were married, and they can't. We're from two different Districts, and we live here now, so it's too much of a hassle to try and put their names in. Our child will be fine." I rested my hand on her still flat stomach, thinking of a question. "I thought it took a while to find out about things like this. How did you know so soon?"

"I'm several days late. Now a few days, that's alright, but it's been much longer than ever before. I'll still need to make an appointment with a...um, gynecologist though." She still hated talking about that, even all of these years later. She still hated going, and hadn't been for years. But now she would be forced to go, and as much as she hated it, she loved the child inside of her more.

It was months before we found out the wonderful news. It was a boy. We were both there when we found out, and I was so happy I smacked a kiss on her lips right in front of the doctor. He smiled, though, not minding. She was five months along, and we began to paint and furnish a nursery. Glimmer insisted on painting it blue with green trim, and we had white, simple furniture. She stocked up on baby clothes from both of our home Districts, and the look on her face as each day passed and she got closer to holding her baby was astounding. Even as her belly swelled, I told her she looked beautiful, and she did. Her skin glowed; her hair was rich with colour, and her eyes danced, especially once the baby started moving.

It was in the early morning one day, and we were both out in the garden. It was fall, and the trees were turning into bright reds and brilliant golds. I glanced away from my wife for a second, taking in the beauty of the early morning mist rising off the grass, the sunbeams hitting the dew and sparkling on the grass. Hearing a short gasp beside me, I saw Glimmer had a hand to her belly, and she seemed to be breathing heavily.

"Honey is everything okay?" I was immediately worried. It was close to the due date, only a week away, but the doctor said a few days ago any time in the next two weeks would be fine. She shook her head, a somewhat pained grimace on her face.

"I...I think the baby's coming. He was kicking awfully hard half the night, and now it went from kicks to cramps." That was all it took for me to grab a bag and get her to the hospital, where they told us she was in labor. I rolled my eyes at the man. _No, duh! Anyone who knows anything about children would know that. Did you think we came here for nothing?_ But my dear wife's face was etched with worry, and I calmed her as best I could. I took a second to call both of our parents, and her Mom said she'd be there was soon as physically possible, but to take care of her baby while she got there.

She was there in about eight hours, and by that point Glimmer would be giving birth within the next two hours, according to the doctor. The air tram was fast, but the Districts were far away from the Capitol. At this point though, Glim didn't seem to mind.

_Glimmer Point of View_

I'd never been in so much pain in my life, but my beautiful baby boy was worth it. Seven pounds, eighteen ounces, with a wisp of blonde hair and sky blue eyes. And I thought I'd been in love when I married Cato! The nurse brought him to me wrapped in a fluffy white blanket, my mother and husband leaning over my shoulder. The rest of our families arrived throughout the day, all cooing over this bundle of joy. He was probably the cutest baby I'd ever seen, and I smiled tiredly up at Cato.

"He's precious, isn't he?" He kissed my head and affirmed it, then telling me to rest. I drifted off eventually, and I vaguely heard Fallon being introduced to his daddy. In that moment, I knew he'd be an excellent father.

_Ah, we are at the end my friends! I appreciate you all dearly, and I'm so happy with the reviews and views I get. Never would I have ever thought I'd be so popular, so thank you all from the bottom of my heart, especially my most loyal reviewers. It's been great writing all of this, and I'm sorry I didn't write about the Capitol wedding, I just didn't know how to so differently describe another wedding for the same people. However, PM me and I'll write up what happened for you. Thanks again, everyone!_

_-Rachelle31_


End file.
